


Hidden Wings

by weliveandbreathwords



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cas is an angel, Cas kind of hates him, Dean is a human, Dean is totally smitten, Destiel - Freeform, Fluff, Jock!Dean, Little bit of angst, M/M, Teen Destiel, alternative universe, destiel fic, destiel high school, nerd!cas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-05-18 01:32:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 36,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5892952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weliveandbreathwords/pseuds/weliveandbreathwords
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hey, Novak!"</p><p>Castiel resisted the impending urge to roll his eyes, twisting around in his seat without any kind of enthusiasm. "What do you want, Winchester?" He asked with a sigh. </p><p>Dean Winchester only smirked and tipped his chair back, so that it balanced on only two legs. With a small  blow in his direction, Cas could have landed him right on his backside. </p><p>"A date," Winchester replied.</p><p>Castiel couldn't help it this time, he rolled his eyes. "Screw you, Winchester," he deadpanned, turning away before he did something he'd regret.</p><p>But not before he heard Winchester reply, "I wish, Novak. I wish."</p><p>***<br/>Being an angel is no easy feat. Hiding gigantic black wings is difficult. Stopping himself from turning his eyes cyan blue every time he saw Dean Winchester to smite his arrogant arse where he stood was even harder. Castiel Novak was good at fitting in, but having the hottest guy at school as your dedicated stalked makes staying unseen almost impossible. Even when circumstance forces Cas to spend time with his mortal enemy for his own safety, he's sure as hell not going to enjoy it.</p><p>But, like they say, secrets are best kept that way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Castiel Novak was different. He knew that, his family knew that and the other kids at his school knew that. Since he was young he had been exhibiting what you could call strange qualities. He looked perfectly normal, of course, it was the perfect façade: black hair, blue eyes, thick rimmed glasses that hid the upper half of his face, all of which doing a magnificent job of hiding his secret.

Blending in was Castiel’s forte and where he was from meant it wasn’t difficult. It wasn’t like someone would easily make the guess that Castiel was an angel without justification and that was one thing that he planned would never happen. It wasn’t even like he had a reason for wanting to let people know about his wings. He was undeniably a genius, no idiot would question it, so clearly he had the pure intelligence to be aware of what would inevitably be his fate if he just went forward to one of his teachers and let them see his glowing eyes. He would be prodded and picked apart by curiously malicious scientists, he would terrify the little friends he currently had, and to be perfectly honest, Castiel was just too stubborn to even consider it.

His locker doors slammed shut in his face, giving him a short amount of time to flinch out of the way, as his best friend Charlie leaned against the locker next to his poor attacked one. Looking as enthusiastic as always, she crossed her arms and gave him a bright smile. Today she wore a Star Wars shirt that read “SO BE IT, JEDI!” in bold, surrounded by a maze of electricity in neon blue. Charlie’s motto was that if you could watch, read or play it, then you could wear it, so she had a hell of a lot of t-shirts. Her red hair was straightened down her back, glasses similar to his hung off the end of her nose. Even Castiel knew that she was hot, for a ‘nerd’.

“Castiel, my dear friend,” she began, yanking her backpack up her shoulder and unceremoniously dragged him alone with her as they made their way down the crowded halls. “You’ll never believe what interrupted my Tuesday Binge Watch Night.” When Castiel made no immediate reply, she sighed and spun him around to face her in the middle of the corridor. “You’re supposed to say ‘I don’t know’, genius.”

Castiel rolled his eyes and shifted uncomfortably over to the lockers on the wall to avoid both the flow of traffic and prying eyes. Blending in wasn’t so easy when you had such a vibrantly shinning best friend, but Charlie was one of the few things that kept him going at this God-forsaken school, so she made up for her shimmering personality. “You got called up by Steven Moffatt,” he guessed, “they want you to be the next Doctor Who companion, so now your leaving me to go to Cardiff to become the next Amy Pond.”

Charlie leant forward to hit Castiel on the arm. “Ah, Cas, now what I’m gonna say is gonna sound pathetic by comparison.” She paused and pulled him forward to whisper seductively in his ear, making him cringe with a smile. “You really think I could be the next Amy Pond?”

Castiel laughed, pulling away from her. “I swear it on the TARDIS.”

For a moment, Charlie seemed genuinely pleased with herself in a way that only a fangirl could in the current situation, but then she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and began to flaunt her way back down the corridor, making a pathway around her as she went. Ruffling his hair, she replied, “Moving on from the nerd reference fest, which I do actually really appreciate, I actually did have some news.” She paused for dramatic effect and Castiel had to stop himself from rolling his eyes again due to something that was so Charlie. “So, anyway, I got a text message half way through Star Trek last night saying that I was invited to Sam freaking Winchester’s party this Saturday!”

Que the eye roll, Cas moved Charlie’s arm from off him, with a small frown on his face. Sam Winchester was not someone that he wanted to be involved with. Sure, Castiel had never actually talked to the boy before, as he was a couple of years below Charlie and himself, but he did, in fact know off his brother. Dean Winchester was an ignorant, self-centred bastard, who just so happened to know Castiel a little too much for his liking and comfort.

“I’m fairly worried as to where this conversation is heading, Charlie,” he retorted. “If you think I’m going to a Winchester party then you don’t know me at all.”

They twisted around another corner, passing multiple different students and the odd teacher, the yellow walls of the corridor forcing them to be in closer proximity with other people more than Castiel would have liked. Cas was many things, but comfortable with intimacy he was not. Having unexplainable powers and humungous invisible wings could do that to a socially unstable person. Not that anyone else had to know that, of course.  
They reached what Castiel considered to be the first hour of torture in this inconsiderate life, Maths, and took their places at the back of the class. Castiel and Charlie, being top of the class, took in upon themselves to bathe in the opportunities of not being the main concern of the teachers during their lesson; intelligence was another word for independence, which in his case was clearly a blessing.

Opening her bag and pulling out her pencil case, Charlie leaned forward in her chair, facing Cas as he chewed on his pen next to her. “If you’re talking about Sam’s rather attractive brother that has had a major thing for you since, like, forever, then he’s not even going to be there. I heard that his Dad was taking him out to go hunting that evening, so he won’t be in close proximity with you at all, Cas.” She leant her chin on her hand, “and I have never seen the problem with his undying love for you in the first place. I mean, he’s the best looking guy in the school, even I know that and it’s so not like I have any reason to check him out, he’s fairly intelligent, I hear, and the guys rich-”

Cas cut her off, incapable of accepting any of the information being laid before him. It wasn’t like he considered himself open to the subject. “He’s also a total jerk who is painfully ignorant of the fact that the whole world does not revolve around his pretty little self. He needs to learn that not everyone wants to be smothered with his attention, some of us would rather not be publically called upon every time he enters the room.”

Charlie sighed, used to Castiel’s hatred on the subject of anything that started with ‘D’ and rhymed with ‘bean’ “Okay. Okay.” She receded, holding her hands up in mock surrender, but not being able to keep the creeping smirk from brightening her face. Cas withheld the want to smite her, knowing that it would a few questions that he would find difficult to answer. “You don’t like him, I get it! But there is no reason for you to not go to the party with me. We both know that you were just going to study all night long, so you might as well have some fun with me.”

Cas continued to frown at her with uncertainty. Partying was one of the few things that he was not good at. School? Homework? Flying? He could handle all of those things as easily as he could burn this whole school to the ground with a single thought, but socialising went against both his ideals and nature. Something as outgoing as a party was the perfect place for something way too angel-like to happen and it opened many chances for him to be the socially awkward seventeen-year-old that he unfortunately was.

Giving him her best smile, and what he was fairly certain was her best Jedi mind trick, she drew out a “please”.  
Shaking his head, Cas nodded. “Fine, I’ll go,” he conceded. “But you owe me one.”

How bad could it be?


	2. Chapter 2

Angels: a spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God, conventionally represented in human form with wings and a long robe. Castiel thought the definition was pretty pathetic, to be honest. It made angels sound like something weaker than they were. His family prided themselves on what they were; they did not conform to any stereotypes. Well, that could be said only for his siblings, his mother, however, was not as accepting of the modern society and the role of angels within it. Castiel was not controlled by a God that he had never come into any form of contact with, especially as he was supposed to be his “messenger” or whatever that meant. But, most of all, he had never worn a long robe in his whole seventeen years of life.

Sometimes, Castiel wondered what would happen if he were to use his powers on those around him, but that was never as true as it was in the one lesson that he dreaded all year: Biology. Don’t get him wrong, the subject itself was no fiend, but it’s participants, or one participant, made him want to smite the whole freaking room to ashes while he still maintained his sanity.

“He’s really not that bad,” Charlie commented, watching the offending party. She sat on his left, legs hooked beneath the foothold of her stool, chewing mechanically on her roller ball pen. Cas felt the urge to not tell her about the ink stain that was on her wrist because of what she had said, but instead he rolled his eyes and rubbed the mark away. Sue him, he was a giver.

Returning to his work, he glanced up when he realised Charlie was waiting for his reply. “Yes, well the Titanic wasn’t seen as ‘that bad’ either. In fact, people thought it was perfect and look where that got them.” Castiel placed his own pen onto his paper, crossing his arms as Charlie let out a low sigh.

She spun her pen between her fingers. “It’s hardly the same, Cas,” she pointed out. “Dean Winchester isn’t going to crash you into a giant iceberg. He just wants you to talk to him.” She glanced over at the ‘ _ship’_ in question.

Dean Winchester sat with his group of normal cohorts: Crowley, Benny and Jo. He wore jeans and a flannel shirt over a tight black t-shirt. Castiel wondered if he owned a flannel making company, someone that wore that much flannels would at least wear the same shirt once a month. Secretly, Cas liked to check each day to look for a little slip up on Winchester’s behalf, there was no way someone could own that much flannel! One of these days he would wear the same one and Cas would take it as a personal triumph. Not that he told anyone this. The things people would think if they thought that he paid that much attention to Winchester would so not be worth the victory.

“Any conversation with Winchester would and burn, Charlie,” Castiel said, turning his attention away from the circle of arrogance. “You should know that.”

Charlie pushed a piece of her hair out of her face, hooking it behind her ear the way that Castiel had come to see her do hundreds of time a week. “Cas-"

"Hey, Novak!"

Castiel resisted the impending urge to roll his eyes, twisting around in his seat without any kind of enthusiasm. "What do you want, Winchester?" He asked with a sigh.

Dean Winchester only smirked and tipped his chair back, so that it balanced on only two legs. With a small blow in his direction, Cas could have landed him right on his backside. Dean’s friends all turned around to witness the daily occurrence that Cas was fairly certain was beginning to annoy the living daylights out of them, as it was him.

"A date," Winchester replied, running a hand through his hair, making it stick up on end in a way that hair gel would only be able to achieve for a long period of time. Castiel couldn't help it this time, he rolled his eyes.

"Screw you, Winchester," he deadpanned, turning, away before he did something he'd regret.

But not before he heard Winchester reply, "I wish, Novak. I wish."

Cas would have swung back around and, well, either snapped back at him or blown out his intestines, but Charlie grabbed his arm, pulling him back around. Cas let out a gust of air and watched his best friend let out a small chuckle. He was fairly certain that she enjoyed his torture and was slightly scared about what she would do if she ever got her hands on something as dangerous as a shotgun. On the other hand, he would never need a shotgun to hurt Dean Winchester. Oh, how easy it could be to silence that man’s pestering; he could simply turn around and-

“Cas, you wouldn’t stand a chance against Dean,” Charlie said, interrupting his thoughts of total destruction. Castiel wondered how she knew that he was thinking of ripping out Winchester’s eyeballs, but then it occurred to him that he probably had the same I-want-to-kill-Dean-Winchester expression that he had each time they were in close proximity. “Dean may piss you off, but he could also bench press a lion without having to change facial expressions. He’s a built guy.”

Moving his arm from her grip, he nodded. “I know, I know,” he gave in, “but after this many years, you’d think he wouldn’t ask me out every single day. It’s not even like I think he’s a nice person and he’s just that he is too freaking persistent.” Charlie popped her pen back into her mouth.

“You’re right there,” she muttered. “The guy seriously doesn’t know when to give up."

* * *

Gabriel waited in his normal spot next to his old, ugly truck. It was this pale green colour and had these brown stains down the side of it, but it was the best Gabe could afford with his part-time job at the café down the road from their house. Cas still didn’t have a car, his mother didn’t trust him to drive and so Gabe had to take him and his sister every day to and from school. Gabe was a senior, eighteen, and one year older than Cas. He was well known for being the prankster of the school. He had nearly been expelled three times since sophomore year, which really pissed off their mother, making Gabe his joint favourite sibling, coming matched with his nearly sixteen-year-old sister Hannah.

Cas smiled once he reached his brother’s car and pulled open the passenger door, as Gabe got into the driver’s seat. The inside of the truck was no more inviting than the outside. It had mouldy seats, with the inner cushion spilling out from rips in the leather, a dashboard that Gabe probably hadn’t cleaned it who knows how long and there was this odour that was a mixture of beer, dust and something Cas didn’t even want to determine. Let’s just say that Gabe was the least angelic of his family and the one that was most heavily followed on their mother’s radar.

Gabriel hooked his feet up onto the dashboard of his truck and laid his hands behind his head, twisting around slightly to give his younger brother a mischievous smile. “So, how was school, little brother?” He asked, pulling out a piece of candy and popping it into his mouth. Castiel grimaced slightly as sugar that coated his brother’s seat, adding to the already prominent mess. “Meet any new people? See any familiar faces? How’s that red-headed friend of yours?” He looked at his sticky fingers and placed one into his mouth, sucking on it suggestively.

Slapping Gabe’s hand out of his mouth, Castiel held back a smile. “No, no and she doesn’t swing that way, Gabe,” he replied, pushing his bag into the seat in the back, leaving a space for his sister to sit in once she arrived.

Gabriel chuckled, wiping his hands on his jeans. “The same could be said about me, Cas,” he pointed out, like Castiel was unaware of his brother’s sexuality. As though it was not the ‘bane of the family’ as his mother liked to put it. Of course, having two sons that did not follow the conventional Christian way was a most pressing issue for a mother who had raised her two angel sons to be good little followers of the norm. “But, I was just trying to make friendly conversation and I worry about my little brother with his nerdy ways and small, in fact, single friend. You know, if you just burst out those powers of yours, you’d have a large rally of buddies that prayed for your attention-"

“Don’t mention that here, Gabriel,” Cas snapped, glancing outside of the windows in concern. His brother had a mouth that would get both of them killed one of these days. “You know that neither of us could do something like that; it’s one thing that Mother isn’t wrong about.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Calm your tits, Cas. I was only messing with you. There was no need to go all Naomi on my ass, now was there?” He shook his head in an exasperation way and leant forward, taking his legs off of the dash, staring out of the front window. “What’s taking Hannah so long, anyway? She’s normally here by now.”

Glancing at the clock, Cas realised that his brother was right. Hannah was normally out after them, sure, she was the most popular among her teacher’s out of all the Novak’s and would often stay behind a few minutes to discuss the lesson or homework with them, but the bell had rung fifteen minutes ago and she still hadn’t shown. Cas opened his door and hauled himself out, turning to Gabriel to tell him that he was going to go and see if he could find her.

It wasn’t difficult, though. The moment he made his way into the corridor, through the school main doors, he could hear a cacophony of noise echoing from round the corner, close to the chemistry labs. Cas wondered if it was the football team on their way to practice, but they didn’t normally stay after school on a Friday, so he made his way towards the noise, hoping that Hannah wasn’t at the centre of it. She could easily defend herself if in some sort of fight, but not in a way that would allow her to walk out with the same reputation, or human citizenship, ever again.

Pupils that looked to be nearly all sophomores crowded around two people. Cas searched for Hannah in the crowd and found her looking seriously concerned in one corner of the crowd with a small group of her friends. He shoved people out of his way and laid his hand on her shoulder, pulling her gently towards him in concern.

She jumped slightly at his touch, but relaxed when she saw that it was him. “Oh, Cas, thank God it’s you,” she breathed in relief, turning away from him and pointing into the middle of the circle of students. “It’s Dean Winchester. He’s beating Jack Pulse to smithereens,” she looked worried when she turned back to him. “I didn’t know what to do.” She leant towards him to whisper, “I wanted to heal him, but there’s too many people and it would have caused gossip and I-”

Cas took his hand off of her shoulder and shook his head. “You did the right thing, Han,” he tried to reassure her. “Go find Gabe, tell him I’ll be out in a moment.” When she looked at him with concern he said, “Go.”

Once she was out of sight, Cas pushed his way into the middle of the havoc. Hannah was too caring for her own good, she would heal everything she could if she had the chance, but sometimes she needed to stay away for her own good.

In the centre of the circle, a kid, Jack, was pressed up against a locker, his lip seeping blood, as Winchester held him against it with his fist in the kid’s shirt front. He was shouting at Jack, his face bright red with anger, fist drawn back poised for another attack.

“DON’T YOU _EVER_ SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN!” Winchester roared, white fist shaking in his rage. “DO YOU HEAR ME?”

When the boy only whimpered in response, Winchester almost growled, pulling his fist back further.

Cas moved before he was even aware he was doing anything. He clenched his hand around Winchester’s arm, holding it in place, and shoved him away from the boy who immediately fell to the ground and was swallowed up by the concerned crowd. Cas didn’t let go of Winchester’s arm, but focused on keeping his eyes green and not cyan blue, feeling his wings shudder due to the use of his grace. He was using his angel strength, he shouldn’t have done that, but he wasn’t going to just let the jackass Winchester beat the crap out of some kid because he was throwing a tantrum. So, he watched as Winchester glanced between his shaking fist and Castiel’s hand on his arm in bemused shock, taking a breath and relaxing slightly.

“You can let go now, Novak,” he grinded out slowly, visibly trying to hold himself back. He looked pointedly at Castiel’s hand and Cas let go, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

Winchester wiped his hand across his forehead and sighed, puffing out some air from between his lips. His eyes met Cas’ for a few seconds, when he frowned and turned in the other direction, away from the crowd, storming down the hall and around the corner.

Cas stood frozen, listening as the school’s front doors shuddered shut. He glanced in the reflection of a locker, relieved to see that he still looked perfectly human, as the crowd migrated away. Footsteps fudded towards him and he looked away from his reflection to see his brother and sister running towards him in apprehension. Hannah took his face in her hands, looking for something to heal, but when she found nothing she pulled back.

“What the hell happened, Cas?”

Castiel shook his head. “Honestly? I have no idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. I would like to say a quick thank you to all those people that have already read, left kudos or commented on my first chapter of Hidden Wings. I am honestly surprised and amazed by the response that I have already received and am so happy that you guys are liking it so far. I hope that this chapter isn't too shabby and that you enjoy it. 
> 
> Also, for those of you that are reading this on the 14th of February, when I have released it, I wish you a happy valentine's day and commend you for your choice to read fanfic rather than try and find a boyfriend/girlfriend. Who needs real company when you have gay ships, is what I say.
> 
> Thanks again!


	3. Chapter 3

Castiel rolled his eyes for what must have been the fifth time in the last hour. He glanced over a Gabe, who sat next to him, and noticed that he was nearly falling asleep into his lasagne, while Hannah shifted from looking at their older brother's Luci and Michael, who she sat between, as they continued their never ending debate on Michael's job.

Diner time at the Novak house was one to be avoided. Cas, however, never had such luck. His mother was never home until late and that left Michael, the oldest at 23, as the head of the house. He always insisted that diner time was 'family time', even though it always ended in flames (which had actually happened one day).

Castiel knew that his family was one to behold. They were remarkably beautiful, each in their own way: Michael was stereotypically male model kind of handsome, Luci was more chiselled, but handsome nonetheless, Cas had been told that Gabriel was like a giant, adorable teddy bear and Hannah was quietly beautiful that perfectly suited her. Sometimes Cas felt uncomfortable in such a beautiful family with his messy hair and glasses, the only thing going for him was his intelligence, but he had accepted that not all angels looked angelic.

"If you were to just consider joining us, Luci," Michael insisted. He took up his napkin and wiped his mouth carefully. "I could get you a job easily and Father would have wanted you to join the business, too. It's our legacy."

Luci rolled his eyes, throwing his knife and fork on the table with a clatter, turning to look over Hannah, who was looking at her food worriedly, at his older brother. "I don't want to be apart of any of this legacy bullshit," he replied harshly. "I'm not one of your little employees, Michael. I never have been. If I get a job, I want it to be because I want to be there, not because you do or it was father's last will."

Michael twisted in his chair to face Luci, frowning. "Father left the business to all of us, Luc," he remarked. "He wanted us to continue what he had been doing. He wanted-"

Gabriel shoved his backwards with a squeak. He was red in the face and Castiel could see that he was holding himself back from yelling. "Just stop it, you two," he breathed. "You're making Hannah upset and non of us want to here you talk about Dad like he was just a reason to do what you want. He was an angel, just like the rest of us, not a means for arguments. Just stop."

Castiel watched as Gabe walked as calmly as he could around the table, pull back Hannah's chair, and help her out of the room with his arm around her shoulder. Cas felt terrible for not having noticed that Hannah had been sniffling in the corner, but he had been caught up in the conversation that Michael and Luci had been having. Their family owned an life insurance company, of which Michael was now CEO. Their father had always told them that he ran it because he cared for humanity, but Luci always thought that it was ridiculous to care so much about the human's that would take him apart if they knew what he was. So, he refused to be part of it.

Michael and Luci had the sense to look slightly guilty and did not continue their conversation. Instead, Michael turned to Castiel and forced a smile. "How was school, Castiel?" He asked, and Cas tried not to laugh at Michael attempt of brotherly interest.

He smiled back. Two can play at that game, he thought. "It was fine," he lied. "I'm going to a party tomorrow with Charlie. In fact, I bet Gabe and Hannah have been invited too."

Michael nodded, as Luci went back to eating his food, clearly not listening. "Who's throwing this party?"

"Sam Winchester," he replied, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

Michael sighed. "Really, Castiel? A Winchester? Have you not heard what they're like? I hear that they are total misfits with no concern for anyone other than themselves"

Cas laughed. "Trust me," he replied. "You have no idea."

* * *

The day after, Cas stayed in his room, avoiding any social confrontation. Honestly, he was nervous. He hadn't been to what was considered a party since he was in middle school and he had spent the entire time huddled alone in a corner, with a book in his hand, trying his best not to be noticed. He was fairly certain that he wouldn't get away with that this time and he would probably end up spending the whole time chasing after Charlie as she got intoxicated out of her already outgoing mind.

So, he sat on his bed and stared at his poster covered wall. He had a poster for Star Wars, Doctor Who and Star Trek. Then on the wall opposite that was a stocked the brim bookshelf, all perfectly organised in his own system. His walls were a dark blue and the carpet the same. In the centre, where he sat, was his double bed, and a bedside cabinet holding his current reading book and a lamp. Most people would wonder why he had such a large bed, but it was just because he needed room for his wings to be positioned comfortably. All his siblings had them. Luckily, his room was so large that he was walking room around the bed. There was his desk and a large wardrobe.

Glancing at the clock, he sighed and got off of his bed, grabbing his phone and sliding it into his pocket. Gabe and Hannah both waited for him downstairs. Hannah wore a pretty red dress that flared out at her waist and had curled her normally straight hair. Gabe looked handsome in jeans and a buttoned up shirt. Cas glanced down at his vest and jeans, pushing his glasses back up his nose with a sigh.

"Okay," he said. "Lets go."

Gabe rolled his eyes. "Your going to a party, Cas. Not your death."

Cas stared at him. "Isn't it the same thing?"

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a short chapter, but I wanted to get a small introduction in. I promise you, I will have another chapter up as soon as possible and it will be juicy and full of Dean and Cas moments. 
> 
> Thanks for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

“Cas!” Charlie let out in a squeal, running towards him through the darkened room. Honestly, he was surprised that he had heard her with the extremely loud music blasting through his poor, unatoned to any noise, ears. She wore a short red skirt, that matched her long hair, and had a flowing black top tucked into it, a golden necklace hanging down to her stomach. She smiled at him, slightly relieved, and moved to his side. “Thank God you’re here. I was beginning to worry that you weren’t going to show up.”

Cas had to lean towards her to hear what she was actually saying. He glanced around the room nervously, surprised by what he saw. It wasn’t a very big house, Cas had noticed, nowhere as large as his own home, but it seemed just about large enough for the Winchester family. Their kitchen and front room were connected, giving enough space for the people to dance without suffocating one another. There was a poor sized TV hanging on the wall, which was painted red, and a few photos of what looked to be the young Winchesters. A three seater and single sofa were pressed up against two of the walls, positioned towards the television and the kitchen came off to their side with a couple of open doors. It seemed poorly stocked, but large enough. Cas had to admit that he quite liked the intimacy of it.

People stood in groups talking, drinking and making out. There was a large group of dancers in the centre of the room, who were bobbing and dropping to some song that Cas didn’t know, but he thought he’d heard in the charts lately. In one corner of the room he spotted, who he thought was, Sam Winchester, leaning against one of the walls, talking to a pretty blond girl that Cas only just recognised. They were laughing and Cas realised that Sam had more openness to himself than his brother did. Cas felt guilty for having being prejudiced against him; just because his brother was a prat, didn’t mean he was.

Castiel turned his attention back to Charlie, who was looking at him patiently. “I nearly didn’t come,” he said. “You know this isn’t my kind of thing. I could be at home on Netflix binge watching The Flash right now.”

Charlie laughed and pulled him with her into the kitchen. Cas watched reluctantly as she passed him a can of beer, opening it up for him. “Drink,” she said, opening her own drink, which Cas was not surprised was something a lot stronger. “You need to loosen up, Cas. We’re seventeen. We’re supposed to have fun. It’s what young human’s do, my friend.”  
Feeling inclined to tell her that he wasn’t, in fact, a young human at all, but a very young angel, he rolled his eyes and took a sip of his drink. He would be careful, though. There was no way that he was getting drunk enough to do, or say, something that he regretted. “Okay. Okay.” He sighed.  
Charlie smiled and pulled him along after her. Unfortunately for Cas, where she was going was right into the centre of the dance floor. When she began to dance around him (very well, he had to admit) Cas stood awkwardly, not really knowing what to do. Charlie rolled her eyes at him and took his hands, moving them to side to side in encouragement, but Cas just followed her movements the best he could, wishing that he was anywhere else. Frowning, he watched as Charlie kept glancing over his shoulder, like she was looking at someone. Eventually, Castiel stopped trying at all and turned to see a girl, Meg, leaning up against a wall, talking to one of her friends, also glancing their way.   
Cas turned back to Charlie, who was looking at him guiltily. “Go,” he said, pushing her in Meg’s direction. “She clearly wants to talk to you too and I don’t mind. I’m no fun at places like this, but you can go and have a good time.”

Looking at him worriedly, Charlie said, “No, it’s okay. I don’t want to leave you alone and I dragged you here in the first place. “

“No, it’s fine,” he insisted, watching as she had a mental battle. “Have fun. I’ll be fine. Go.”  
Charlie let out a sigh and smiled at him. “You’re the best friend ever,” she said, kissing him on the cheek. “I owe you one. I’ll get the ice cream on our next marathon night!” She hugged him quickly and then dashed over to Meg, who also seemed to perk up when Charlie got there.   
“You better,” Cas muttered to himself. 

He glanced around the room awkwardly. First of all, he needed to get out of this room, with all the dancers and drunk people. Seriously, if he was in here much longer, he would feel the need to fly his way out, not that his wings had the space to do so, but the thought made him happier. He figured that the best place to go would be outside: it would be quiet, empty and he had a whole library of books saved onto his phone. He could pass a couple pf hours out there. Thank the lord for technology, was all he could say.

Pushing through the crowd, he made his way to the back door, letting the cold night’s air hit him as he swung it open and quietly made his way out. Even though the garden was fairly small, it still had a nice looking bench under a little tree that seemed adequate enough, so he headed over to it and sat down, relieved to be out of the pounding music. He was just about to settle down and begin to read his marked point of War and Peace, when he heard footsteps coming out of the same door he’d just come through. He glanced up from his phone and sighed. 

Winchester strolled out of the door with a smile on his face that twitched when he noticed Castiel’s presence in front of him. He paused and raised an eyebrow. “Well, look at that,” he announced to Cas. “Cas Novak at my home?” He mockingly pinched himself. “Am I dreaming?”

Cas didn’t answer. He wasn’t normally one for the silent treatment, but right now he was in no mood to be humouring Winchester with a snarky reply as he would normally offer up. Anyway, after what had happened yesterday, he was surprised that Winchester didn’t just turn and leave the minute he saw that it was Cas sitting out in his garden. That’s what he would do if Cas saw the guy that had been the head witness of his beating the crap out of some poor Sophomore kid just the day after. But, no such luck, so Cas would just ignore him, read his book, and seriously hope that Winchester would get bored and leave. Soon.

Winchester chuckled at Cas’ silence and moved to sit next to him on the bench. Unfortunately for Cas, it was quite a tight fit. Castiel moved as close to the other side of the bench as he could, squishing uncomfortably against the wooden arm rest. That gave Winchester another reason to chuckle, which only made Cas more pissed.

Winchester leant closer to him, leaning over his lap to see what he was reading on his phone. Cas could feel the heat pulsing off of him. It made him want to squirm.

“Seriously, Novak,” Winchester laughed, thankfully leaning back, out of Castiel’s personal space. “You’re at party, my little brother’s party, and you’re sitting here, in the cold, reading War and Peace?”

Cas stayed resolute and silent. He hoped that someone else would come outside. They could be in the midst of a full-blown make-out session for all he cared, anything to get Winchester to leave him alone. Winchester seemed to be enjoying Castiel’s silence though. Before Cas could stop him, Winchester shuffled closer to him and yawned mockingly, placing his arm around Cas’ shoulder. To say that he wanted to punch the arrogant bastard there and then would have been an   
understatement. Cas felt his wings tighten and he was happy that they were both invisible to the eye and to touch, or Dean Winchester would have had some new stories to tell his group of disciples.

He jumped forward, getting off the bench fast enough that he wasn’t sure if he could have flown there any faster, and spun around to glare at Winchester who tipped his chin back to laugh. Castiel wondered if he would be able to hit the boy and get away before there were any repercussions, but even he knew that he couldn’t out run Winchester without using his wings and even though the option was tempting Cas knew it wouldn’t be worth it. Not quite.

“I swear to God,” Cas snapped, shoving his phone rather aggressively into his back pocket, “if you touch me again, at all, I will hit you so hard that even your teeth will bleed.” He wasn’t sure where the threat had come from, he wasn’t normally very good with things like that, but he was extremely proud of it. It even seemed to surprise Winchester a bit. That just made even happier, not that many people could surprise Dean Winchester.

Winchester left his arm in the position that it had previously been, almost like he was waiting for Cas to sit back down, like that was going to happen in this lifetime. He ran his other hand through his hair, which Cas thought was a very obnoxious thing to do, and smiled. “Wow, Novak,” he said, his smile seeming almost forced, “I didn’t know that you hated me that much.”

Cas rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his vest, partly from the cold and partly because Winchester pissed him off. “Really?” He asked, voice dripping sarcasm. “Why not? You’d assume the fact that I have never shown any reason for you to keep talking to me or because you act like a jerk around me all the time would be a big pointer. Maybe it’s because you constantly torment me.” Once he started, he couldn’t stop. It was like all his anger was coming out in one big word vomit and Winchester was just going to have to act as the bucket, not that the thought bothered Cas one bit. “You know, insinuating that you give a damn about me is one thing, but to make a public display of it? I get it, let’s mock the nerdy kid, won’t that be fun? But pretending to be into me just to make a point that I’m so repulsive to everyone else? That’s just a dick move, Winchester. Then you act like you’re unaware as to why I don’t like you, like you want me to like you, even though it’s obvious that I ardently hate you. What point are you trying to prove?” 

Breathing deeply Cas calmed himself. He was surprised at himself for saying something like that. It wasn’t that he didn’t mean it, he had meant the whole thing, but the fact that he had said it… This wasn’t what he had meant in coming here. He had wanted to come for Charlie’s sake, but now he didn’t even know where Charlie was and he’d just told one of the most popular kids in school that he was a dick. He was definitely going to get it on Monday. 

Winchester was red. Cas prepared himself to be hit, it wouldn’t hurt him much, it would probably hurt Winchester more than himself, but he wouldn’t obstruct it. But, Winchester did not hit him or even twitch in his direction. He just ran a hand through his hair and looked at Cas in a way he never looked at Cas, or anyone Cas had seen, before, like he was boring into his soul. All humour was gone and he seemed to be actually upset when he replied.

He stood from the bench slowly, gracefully, without any of his normal arrogance. Castiel watched him and he moved closer, his eyelids heavy, he green eyes without their usual shine. When he spoke it was but a murmur. “Is that really what you think, Cas?”

The door behind them flew open and Cas spun around with a jump, the world around him getting louder, with people that were not Dean Winchester back in it. He frowned when he saw Hannah burst through the doors and his brow furrowed even more when he saw the look of horror on her face. He was by her side as fast as he could go, leaning towards he in the night to whisper harshly, “What is it?”

She stared at him for a moment and then grabbed his hand, pulling him after her. They were back into the throng of people, the music returning to his ears and the light pulsing again. Cas looked for any immediate danger, but nothing came fourth. However, when he was about to pull Hannah to stop her questioning, she yanked him after her harder out of the main room and into a quieter one, which must have been the dining room. It had a small wooden table in the centre of it, surrounded by four chairs, and on the floor, clearly unconscious, lay Charlie.

For a moment, Cas thought that she was sleeping, but then he listened, really listened, and he could hear her shaky breath from the floor. Castiel dropped to his knees in front of her and on some level he took in the bottle of what could only be pure vodka that lay next to her open hand, shattered. She lay with her leg in a contorted position, her right hand cut with shards of glass and a large purple bruise forming on her head. 

He spun around to face Hannah, who was looking down at Cas for guidance, her face red with worry. “Is there anyone near us?” He asked, breath raspy. Hannah glanced at Charlie and shook slightly at her current appearance. “Hannah,” Cas breathed harshly. “Is there anyone near us?” 

Hannah blinked and shook herself, rushing over to the door frame. She peered out and turned back to Cas. “No,” she said, “but there is no door on this thing.” Cas looked closer and realised that there was no door on the wall, but just an open archway. “What do we do, Cas? She must have fallen and smashed her head on the table. That could be really bad. Do we heal her? What if she remembers?”

Castiel shook his head and took Charlie’s injured hand carefully into his palm. “She’s unconscious and I doubt she’ll remember anything after drinking all that.” He jerked his head at the fallen bottle. “I’ll heal her. You go get some water and food, maybe something to clean this mess up, so that when she does wake we’ll just say that we found her asleep on the floor.” Hannah nodded and then hurried off to do as he’d asked.

Cas shut his eyes and focused. He kept one hand around Charlie’s and placed the other on her head. He shuddered when he realised that it was worse than he had originally assumed. She had bruised her brain; he could sense it. She must have hit the table really hard. “Oh, Charlie,” he muttered. 

Taking a deep breath, he summoned his grace, feeling it flow through him comfortably. He began to knit her wounds back together, first her hand, which was the simple part, but then her brain. His eyes tightened as the act began to draw the grace out of him and he felt his head go fuzzy. He worried that he wouldn’t have the power, but he knew he could heal her. A yellow glow pulsed more angrily under his palm as he channelled his grace through it. Once Charlie’s brain was healed, he got to work on her leg, taking in a shaky breath as he watched her leg snap back into place. She took a deep breath and he watched in relief as her eyes rolled to the side under her lids, placing his finger tips on her head to allow her to sleep peacefully. 

Dropping his hand to his side, he let his grace settle, dropping off of his knees to sit on the floor. The use of so much grace had physically drained him. By the time Hannah got back into the room with the water and a plastic bag, he was nearly passed out next to Charlie. Vaguely, he watched Hannah call Gabriel and saw Gabe run into the room, asking what had happened. Just as Cas let his eyes drop closed, he felt his brother wrap his hand around his shoulder, felling Gabe’s wings pump air as he flew him home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey. I hope that the length of this chapter makes up for how short the last one was and the added Dean and Cas parts for the lack in last chapter. I hope that you enjoy it. Thanks for the support that you guys have been giving me so far. I love reading your comments!
> 
> Thanks.


	5. Chapter 5

To say that the party had gone terribly wrong would have been an understatement that even Cas, with his life long list of lies, could not force upon himself. He knew that being an introvert was the best thing for him, but he hadn’t guessed that Charlie’s extroverted behaviour would be her downfall. He should have kept a better watch on her, not have been so selfish as to have left the party for himself. He could barely look at her now, even though she had no idea of what had occurred at the Winchester’s home. The fact that she was acting as her normal vibrant self somehow seemed to be even worse than if she had known Cas’ truth. At least then she would be more careful with herself; with her precious human life, so fleeting, like the flicker of a candle, compared to the strength of an angels.

Avoiding her eye once more, Cas took his apple out of his bag, taking a bite. He listened barely as Charlie talked about the new show that she had begun to watch the day before, as she had been confined to her bed due to what she believed to be ‘one hell of a hangover’. He chewed quietly, hoping that the feeling of sadness he felt was not conveyed on his face. Of course, it wasn’t. After all these years, he was an award winning actor.

“Cassie,” Charlie said, her face tinted with concern, “are you okay? You’ve been very quiet all day. Did something happen?”

Sighing, Cas took another bite of his apple and swallowed. “Nothing’s wrong, Charlie,” he said, watching as she relaxed slightly. “I’m just tired is all. I didn’t get much sleep over the weekend. You know, I did a lot of studying.”

Charlie laughed and rolled her eyes, pulling open a packet of crisps. “You know that we don’t have exams for weeks, Cas.” She caught herself with another laugh. “Of course you do. What a stupid question.” She froze, her eyes widening on something behind him.

Cas jumped when his apple was plucked out of his hand. He swung around in anger and was unsurprised to see that the thief was Winchester. Again, he wore a flannel over a black shirt and jeans and his face held a mischievous smile that made Cas want to slap it off his face. He looked at Cas’ apple and took a bite. Castiel groaned and snatched it back, more out of anger than with the intention to continue to eat it.

“Hey, Novak,” he said, satisfied with himself. “You’re so jumpy. It’s almost like you have something to hide.”

With that, he turned and strutted out of the hall.

Cas stared after him, his mouth wide in horror, apple laid on the table forgotten. _It’s almost like you have something to hide._ What the hell did that mean? Did Winchester, of all people, know something? The thought struck him as both terrifying and ironic. Castiel would have almost anyone else know the truth about him than Dean freaking Winchester. That boy could pull his life to pieces with such information and no human, not one, was supposed, no, allowed to know the truth. What humans would do if they discovered that their heavenly angels really existed would be catastrophic.

“Cas?” Charlie said, breaking through his thoughts. “Are you okay?”

Before he could question the stupidity of his own actions, Cas was on his feet and moving. He ignored Charlie’s calls from behind him and practically ran down the corridor, twisting between students and slowing down slightly at the sight of any oncoming teachers. Next thing he knew, he grabbed Winchester by the shoulder and spun him around so they were face to face. Winchester watched him with his green eyes without surprise.

He glanced from Cas’ hand and then locked his stare onto his eyes. “Something wrong, Novak?” He asked and for the first time, Cas thought he saw a twinkle of fear in Winchester’s eyes. All Cas could think was, _he knows. How does he know?_ Castiel blinked, moving his hand from Winchester’s shoulder. He glanced around him in confusion, not knowing what to do now, it wasn’t like he could just come out and say _what do you know?_ What if Dean Winchester didn’t know anything, then he’d have screwed up big time.

Awkwardly, he replied, “Oh, erm, nothing. Don’t worry.”

Winchester looked at his shoulder and then back at Cas, letting out what Cas thought may have been a sigh of relief. “Good,” he said, crossing his arms. “Wouldn’t want any unexplainable incidents now, would we?”

And, that was it. The look that Dean Winchester gave Castiel at that moment was when Cas was sure that Winchester knew; there was no question to it. The way that Winchester leaned in slightly and lowered his voice was like he didn’t want anyone else to over hear him, but at the same time, his voice seemed to shake with uncertainty and why else would someone as strong as Dean Winchester be scared of someone as small and weak looking as Castiel Novak.

Cas grabbed Winchester’s arm, yanking him along behind him, looking for a private place to talk. The closest place was a janitors closet and as much as Cas didn’t want to be in a confined space with Winchester, he set his shoulders. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Winchester made no cry to protest as Castiel pulled him into the closet, slamming the door behind them and drowning them it darkness. Cas could just about make out the outline of Winchester, but the main reason he could see him was the glow of his green eyes. Cas focused on them, breathing deeply.

“What do you-” He began, but was cut off almost immediately when Winchester burst out his own question.

“Are you God?”

Castiel would have laughed if it wasn’t for two facts. One was that this question made it completely obvious that Winchester had seen Castiel at the party on Saturday, there was no other explanation for it. Cas should have known that using his grace somewhere so public and unknown to him would result in this, he should have been more damn careful and now he’s put his whole family in danger from the one douchebag that could destroy everything. The second fact was that Dean Winchester, the most obnoxious twat to ever walk these halls, was scared. His voice shook, although Cas was sure it was against his own will, and his eyes were wide. Castiel scared Dean Winchester.

Castiel tread carefully. “Out of all you’re pick up lines, that’s the worst one I’ve heard yet, Winchester,” he tried to joke, forcing his voice to sound light. He almost reached out to hit Winchester playfully on the shoulder, but he was stopped by the feel of Winchester shaking. It came apparent to Cas that the closet was actually very small indeed and they were almost chest to chest. Also, Castiel was never playful with Winchester, the over-reaction would give him away immediately.

Winchester wasn’t falling for it. “I saw you,” he said, his voice stronger than before, like Cas’ joke hadn’t tricked him, but steadied him slightly. “At Sammy’s party. You healed that girl with a light and then, your brother, he disappeared with you.” Even though Cas couldn’t see him, he was certain that Winchester crossed his arms in resolute. “What are you?”

Castiel had no choice. He stepped forward, placed a hand on Dean Winchester’s head, and caught him just before he hit the ground.

* * *

 

Michael was beyond furious and, for once, Luci agreed with him.

“Castiel,” Michael’s voice was steady, he was the tone of reason as normal. It made Cas feel sick. “You have brought this boy here and you tell me, all of us, that he knows our secret. How could this have happened?”

The whole family sat in the front room. Their mother, of course, had not yet been informed of the situation, she was never home anyway. Winchester was in the Castiel’s room, a thought that twisted Cas’ mouth almost mockingly. Winchester’s lying in your bed, he thought to himself.

Gabe, who sat next to Cas, sighed. “We’ve been through this, Michael,” he groaned. “Cas’ friend was dying. A human, you know the ones that we’ve been raised to protect? Yeah, one of them, was dying and so Cas saved her. But, I was the one who flew him out of there, so I’m to blame too. But, then, of course, if you want to be a bitch about it, you might as well blame Han as well. I mean, she was in our general vicinity.”

Luci scowled, slamming his hands on his knees. “This is no joke, Gabriel! There is a human in our brother’s room who could ruin us all! You joke that Hannah is to blame too, but will you see it that way, little brother, when she is being cut to pieces on a slab like a science experiment!”

Cas felt Hannah flinch and grabbed her hand, partly for her comfort and partly to control his anger. He was about to retort when Michael got there first. “Luci,” he reprimanded, shooting his brother a glare,” we do not have time for this nonsense. The human will be awakening in a few minutes; we must get our story straight.”

Castiel sighed, “Michael, we cannot lie to him. He saw too much. The only way we could make him drop it would be if we were to take him to the top, to Heaven, to have his memory wiped-”

“But, then we would have to inform Heaven in the first place,” finished Gabe, lounging back on the sofa.

“Think of what that would do to the family name!” Hannah cried, her head in her hands. Cas closed his eyes in horror. It seemed ridiculous, but the Novak name was a powerful one among angels, one that had not been tainted since it was created thousands of years ago, but for a Novak to have been the first in a century to reveal their secret to a mortal without Heaven’s permission they would be a ruin. “We can’t tell them!”

Michael sighed in defeat. “Hannah’s right. They cannot be informed of this. Luci and I would lose our titles as archangels and the family name would go to dirt. We have not come this far to be shamed by a human.” Michael leaned forward, his eyes ordering. “This is to be kept a secret by all of you. Castiel, can this boy be trusted?”

Michael’s eyes searched his. Cas pushed his glassed up his nose. _Could Winchester be trusted?_ Castiel couldn’t be sure. Winchester was everything that he despised, but that was a different thing. Their lives rest on whether Dean Winchester was a good enough man to keep their secret and, honestly, Castiel couldn’t say that he wasn’t. But, then, he couldn’t say that he was either.

The word “yes” left his mouth without any visible uncertainty, but once he had said it, he felt Hannah shift and Gabe tense and all he could think was _what have I done?_

* * *

Cas had things that he had wanted to do that night. Monday was his stress day and, therefore, once he got home he would take some well earned time to relax and do whatever the hell he wanted. Tonight, he was going to start a new amine, he had read up on it and the reviews were all very positive and he had been looking forward to getting drawn into a new world. Instead, he sat on the chair that he had placed by his bed, a bed that, and he still couldn't get over it, was cocooning Dean Winchester.

When Winchester shifted, peeling open his eyes, a hand coming shakily to his head to rub it gently, Cas shifted uncomfortably in his seat, wishing that he could fly himself out of there, but then he figured that that would most definitely not help their current predicament.  So, he waited as patiently as he could while the boy in front of him glanced around the room with uncertain eyes that turned into what Cas was fairly certain was horror when their eyes met. Winchester jumped slightly, sitting up straight in Cas' bed. "What the-"

Cas sighed. "I know. I know," he breathed. "But, I promise you that I have absolutely no intention of hurting you, Winchester. I just need to talk to you."

Winchester's eyes widened and he leant forward with a look of amazement on his face. "You knocked me out!" He exclaimed and Cas was both surprised and slightly worried to hear a trace of ecstatic happiness in his voice. "You knocked me out with just the touch of your fingers. You are God!"

This was most definitely how Cas had expected this conversation to go. He had been sure that Winchester would firstly try to beat the crap out of him and then be horrifically terrified when the effect of having punched, kicked or even stabbed was completely minimal on his angelic body. Winchester being happy about it though, that was not something that he had expected, at all.

"I can assure you," Cas replied nervously, hands twitching in his lap, "I am no God."

Winchester raised an eyebrow, shifting out of the covers that he had been placed under and swinging his legs around the bed, so that he and Cas were face to face. "Then what are you?" He asked. Now he seemed to have come to the realisation that Cas may not be as safe as he had originally thought, as his muscles tensed and his arms crossed protectively over his chest.

Cas drew in a breath. What he was about to do, it was against one of the most important laws of Heaven, protect their secret, and Winchester was the last person in the world that he would have ever wanted to tell. He always thought that if he were to tell anyone it would be Charlie, as Angels did not have romantic relationships with Human's, he would have anyone else to tell. How wrong he had been.

"I am an angel of the lord." His voice shook.

Winchester stared at him silently, watching him in a way that made Cas very uncomfortable and want to pull back as far away as he could, but he held his ground, being an angel was nothing to be ashamed of, even if you were one that broke the law.

Winchester shook his head and, keeping his voice steady, he replied, "An angel? Like with wings and robes and powers and stuff. You're an angel?"

Castiel couldn't help himself. "We don't wear robes, only when in Heaven do we revert to our true forms and I've heard that they wear robes, but I have never once wore robes myself. Also, we do not have powers, we have grace and it's not like we can make objects fly around the room or anything, that would be _Marvel_ or _DC_ , but we can heal people and I guess have super strength. But then, I suppose, I did knock that wall over once when I was three and that was with just my anger, so I guess I am kind off _Marvelish_ , aren't I?"

Winchester stared at him in dismay. Castiel began to blush and look down at his feet when he heard the other boy break out into laughter. Cas' head snapped back up, as he watched Dean Winchester laugh like he would never stop, clutching his stomach, almost rolling on his side. Cas worried that something was wrong with him.

"Hey!" He yelled, his eyebrows scrunching together in annoyance. "What's so funny?"

Winchester only shook his head. "I knew there was something about you Novak. I wouldn't say that I'd have ever guessed this was it, but I always knew there was something."

Castiel was stunned. Winchester, of all the people, had guessed that something was different about him. If someone like Winchester knew, did everyone know? Was he an open book with a sign that told people to go ahead and read? What if they all guessed what Cas was?

"How?" He asked, his voice shaky. "How did you know?"

Winchester shrugged. "Because ever since I met you, I haven't been able to keep my eyes off of you. You're special, Novak, there was never a doubt in my mind about that. _You're special_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't thank you guys enough for the support that this fic has been getting, I'm both totally surprised and pleased at the same time. I love reading your comments and seeing what you think, it makes my day! Thank you so much. 
> 
> So, who else is dying because we have to wait for freaking ages for the next episode of Supernatural to come out? I sure as hell am. Then there's the fact that the You Are Not Alone Campaign is over, so we can't expect Misha to be livestreaming like everyday and for new Jensen and Misha videos to be coming out like their giving candy to children. Seriously, what am I to do?


	6. Chapter 6

Movie night was something that Charlie and Cas had done since they were young. When they had met in kindergarten and both discovered that they had the same love for children books, they had begun to hang out on what Charlie's parents had called 'play dates', but really just consisted off them attempting to read _Lord of the Rings_ without any kind of assistance from their parents.

When they were in middle school, the nights became movie night and they decided that it was something that they just  _had_ to do every week to stop from being so stressed all the time. It consisted of ice cream, popcorn and movies that were way too violent to be considered age acceptable.

In high school, Charlie began to take alcohol with her to their little gatherings, which, of course, ended in Cas getting so pissed one night that he almost spilt his secret. If it hadn't been for Charlie's mom finding them and glaring at them both with harsh disapproval and the promise to tell Cas' mother of their little act of defiance against the rules of society, he would have been so screwed.

But, however their movie nights went, it was always something that Cas looked forwards to. A time when he didn't have to worry about school or his family or his secret, he could just lay on Charlie's bed and watch a Harry Potter marathon, while eating chocolate. Today, though, Cas didn't get such peace, for every five minutes a faint buzz would get his phone shaking in his pocket and it didn't matter how many times he ignored it, the person on the other end with very, very persistent. _Yeah, take one guess at who it was._

Charlie sighed again, lifting up the remote from her place reclining next to Cas on her _Star Wars_ covers, and turning to Cas with an eyebrow raised. "I swear to God, Cas, if you don't text whoever that is back and tell them to leave you the hell alone, _Voldemort's_ not gonna be the only one who gets their butt _avada kedavra_ 'd." She smirked at her reference and wiggled her eyebrows, popping a kernel of popcorn into her mouth. "Seriously, who is it anyway?"

Cas shrugged. "I dunno," he replied, hoping that she wouldn't ask anymore. "Keep playing the movie." He turned his eyes from her, back to the screen, and, goddammit, it would have worked too, if it wasn't for that fact that his iPhone vibrated in his hand insistently at that exact point.

Before he could pull away, Charlie's hand whipped out like a frog's tongue pouncing on a fly, yanking his phone from his grasp. Cursing silently, Cas scrambled forwards, gripping the sheets, knocking the popcorn bowl over in the process, in an attempt to get it back. However, he knew it was too late, as he saw Charlie's eyes widen, and her mouth open to gape at him in dismay. Slowly, she placed his phone on the bed in front of her, Cas reaching out to take it up in his hand without word.

"Cas?" She murmured, as small smile growing on her face. "Why, may I ask, has Dean Winchester sent you fifty messages today?"  
  


Castiel drew in a breath. _Fifty messages? Was he crazy? He said he would keep it a secret, he promised. I shouldn't have trusted him, why did I possibly think that it was smart to trust Winchester with something so important? Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

"Well," Castiel drew out the word in a long breath, watching as Charlie leant forward in what could only be anticipation, "it's... a school project!" He burst out, nodding his head to the point.

Charlie crossed her arms, tilting her head to the side. "Cas, we have no school projects right now and definitely none that you're paired with Dean for. So, why are you getting text messages from Dean-total-freaking hottie-that-you're-supposed-to-hate-Winchester?"

Castiel frowned, sighing, glancing around the room for a route of escape that didn't include the use of wings. Charlie frowned too, looking genuinely sad. "Fine, Cas. You don't want to tell me, that's okay. But, when you fall in love with Dean Winchester, don't tell me that I didn't offer you my help."

At that, Cas could only scoff.

* * *

 "Winchester?!"

After arriving home from Charlie's, Cas had read through the messages. They had consisted of multiple questions about angels and questions about Cas himself and just general Winchesterish questions that did nothing but make Cas want to chuck his phone against the wall. When the doorbell had rung and Michael had yelled at him to get it, he had been fairly relieved for something to do. But, of course, the face of Winchester himself appearing at the front of his house was totally not what he had meant as escapism.

He leaned against the door frame, his arm above his head, flannel shirt draping to his side, as his body was diagonal. His hair was in that I-just-had-sex kind off mess that Cas seemed to have to drag his eyes away from. Winchester pushed off of the frame, running a hand through his hair, and smirked. The smirk pulled Cas out of whatever place he had been in before, forcing him to blink, and focus on how much of a dick the guy before him was.

"Hello, Cas," he drawled, arms crossed. "How is my angel today?"

Castiel's eyes narrowed. The thought of Winchester just showing up at his house and calling him 'angel' gave him the chill that he put down to total horror.  What is his sibling's saw him here? They wouldn't be happy, Cas had told them that he had sorted the problem with Winchester, that they didn't have to worry. Gabe hadn't quite seemed to believe him, but Michael had nodded and went back to his room, arms crossed, and Cas had taken that as a good thing.

"Why are you here, Winchester?" He demanded, pushing his glasses angrily up his nose. He was having such a bad day.

Winchester rolled his eyes. "There's no need to call me that anymore," he said, placing his hands in his jean pockets. "I mean, we're practically best buddies, aren't we? Now that I know who you are, Castiel."

Winchester looked smugger than usual and Cas almost couldn't blame him. He was completely in the power of the one man who he had always hated, so if Dean Winchester wanted to be called Dean, then Cas could hardly not obliged. Not with his family's safety on such a thin line. He would jump through the hoop that Winchester- no, Dean- presented for him and hope that it was enough.

"Fine, _Dean_ ," Cas snapped, pulling the door behind him closed, with the fear of his family coming and seeing the two of them prominent in his mind. "Why are you here?"

"For a lesson," Winche- Dean replied simply. "I want you to tell me about angels."

And that's how, twenty minutes later, Castiel was stuck standing in front of Dean with his arms crossed tensely on his chest, while Dean sat on a rock in the forest outside of his home.

"Angels have always been around," he began, "since before the creation of man. Most of the stuff that you read in the Bible is right about us: that we are all the followers of God, that we have powers of healing and the general stereotypical image of us is pretty accurate too. However, we no longer follow God's rule. We are ruled by a small group of God's closest workers and arch angels that hail in Heaven. God hasn't been seen in hundreds of years, but we still follow his general ideals, to protect humanity and the like. That's why there are groups of us all over the world, hidden away as human's watching over you all, like we are one of you."

Castiel paused, surprised that he had been able to get so far into his speech without being interrupted by Winch- Dean multiply times. When he looked at Dean, the man was watching him like Castiel was the most intriguing thing that he had ever stumbled across in his life. His green eyes watching Cas so intently that he moved out of Dean's line of sight, sitting as far away from him as he could on the boulder-like-rock. Dean turned his head back to face Cas, but that look from before was gone. Maybe Cas had imagined it?

"So, what kind of things can you do, then?" He asked, cocking his head to the side in curiosity. "I mean, you said angels had powers, like in the Bible, which I have not read, though now I'm starting to think I should, so what exactly are those powers?"

Castiel bit his lip. If Heaven's officials ever discovered he had told a mortal something like this, the consequences could be dire, but what choice did he have? "Well, I don't know all of them," he said, bluntly, figure still tense. "I'm in the lower ranks of us, so its not like I'm any comparison to the arch angels, but I can heal almost all wounds and I have been known to blow the odd thing up every now and then-"

He cut off when he heard Dean chuckle. He pushed himself forward to glare. "What?" He snapped.

Dean just shook his head, an amused smile on his face. Cas noticed how it lit up his eyes when he really smiled, he had never really seen Dean smile like that before, like there was no one really watching. "You," Dean laughed," _'I've been known to blow the odd thing up every now and then'_. I never put you down as someone who was weak, Cas, but neither did I expect that you could freaking blow shit up."

Cas frowned in annoyance. "Well, I can. So, I'd stop laughing at me, if I were you, Winchester. There's no need to take the piss out of me."

Dean fell into silence immediately. "I wasn't laughing at you like that, Cas," he said softly. Cas felt his warm breath on his cheek and it was then that he realised that one of them must have moved closer to the other, as the sat side by side. "I only meant that I couldn't believe that someone as kind as you could do something so destructive." Cas almost jumped when he felt one of Dean's finger tips graze his own. He was in such a bemused state that he couldn't quite bring himself to move away. He was seeing Dean Winchester in a way he had never seen him before. The hard curve of his jaw, laughter lines that crinkled at the corners of his eyes, face dotted his freckles. Cas wondered if it was possible to make a pattern out of their constellations, like a dot-to-dot.

He pulled his eyes back to Dean's. "I've never meant to hurt anyone," he breathed, "and I never have." Castiel narrowed his eyes. "But I could, if I ever needed to. Then I could just fly out of their and never be seen again."

That had Dean's attention. Cas barely noticed as Dean moved closer in amazement and anticipation, he was too busy watching a bird that was jumping lightly from tree to tree behind Dean's head, so free.

"You can fly?" Dean asked. Cas' eyes flittered back over to Dean's, his eyebrow raising. "You've got wings?"

Castiel nodded. "Of course I do," he replied.

Dean's eyes went from Cas' own to his shoulder, then back up again. He seemed almost in a trance, his eyes dilated, which Cas put down to Dean's inability to keep his eyes focused on someone so close to him. "Can I see them?" Dean asked.

Cas jumped.

He pulled away from Dean, pushing off the rock, and crossing his arms protectively over his chest. His wings felt more prominent than they ever had before and Cas almost looked over his shoulder to see whether he had revealed them just from the shock of hearing someone ask him to. Dean stared at Cas in surprise, standing up also.

"No," Cas said, his own voice sounding emotionless to his own ears. "I have to go now."

Dean looked panicked. He moved towards Cas, his arms going out, as though to place it on Cas' shoulder, but, in a flurry of hidden wings, Cas was gone.  

* * *

Cas appeared home a second later. He glanced around the hall, his heart shuddering in his chest like it wanted to break free, when his eyes landed on something very unpleasant.

"Castiel Novak, you have a lot of explaining to do."

 _Oh, this day just gets better and better._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys. I'm sorry for the long wait, but I have my GCSE's coming up very soon and I'm freaking out! Do people in the US have GCSE's? You guys leave high school at, like eighteen, right? So you must have different types of exams, but I think you get my point of how stressed I am. Stupid exams that your whole future is balanced on. Well, I say screw the British education system, damn it! 
> 
> Anywho, I'm sorry for the wait and I hope this chapter wasn't too shabby... I think Cas is starting to fall for Dean Winchester's charms, even if he doesn't really know it yet. He's basically a total ninja for being able to not fall for him earlier. I mean, have you seen Jensen Ackles, DAMN.
> 
> Thanks for the amazing support! I love you guys!


	7. Chapter 7

Hearing the voice of his mother, Naomi, was always a shock through his system. He knew it was strange, to be surprised by the voice of your own mother's voice resonating throughout her own home, but Cas had gotten used to her being absent. In fact, his mother used their home as more of a hotel she could pop back to once a year whenever it suited her, Castiel had come to see the place as the joint property of his siblings, but if his mother had taken the effort to return home, she wasn't doing it out of concern for her children. Cas was no longer deluded enough to believe his mother cared about any of them, no longer seeking her approval like the lost child he once was. Oh no, if Naomi was home, she was here for business and business alone.

Cas glanced down the hall, past his mother, to see that all of his siblings were assembled around the dining room table, shooting each other anxious glances. He knew what they were all thinking. They were thinking that Naomi had some how managed to find out about Dean and that she was here to bring the force of Heaven onto their poor backsides. Guilt shot through him like a bullet. He had screwed up, he knew, big time.

"Mother," he choked out, eyes falling to rest on his shoes. "What brings you home?" _And, can't you forget about it and leave?_ He wanted to add, but there is a different between making bad decisions and having a death wish, he'd drawn that line in thick black permanent marker a long time ago.

Naomi's arms crossed over her suit jacket, her perfectly plucked eyebrow going up, lips in a thin wrinkled line. Her hair was wrapped up in a tight chignon, not a stray to be seen. "I'm here for business purposes, Castiel," she said stiffly, leading the way into the dining room and indicating that Castiel take a seat next to Hannah. "But, first, I want to know why it is that non of my children are dressed and ready to leave."

All heads turned to Michael, who looked like he didn't have a clue what the women in front of them was talking about. However, all business like as ever, he raised his head to Naomi. "I didn't know that we had an appointment that warranted such actions, Mother. There were no notices on the calendar for today."

Naomi rolled her eyes, hands going to her waist. "Well, there should have been, Michael," she stated. "Tonight, as you all should have known, is the Novak Business Anniversary, which means-"

Castiel's mind was already reeling. _How could we have forgotten? The anniversary, the bloody anniversary, which means_ "the night from hell," Cas muttered, without meaning to.

His mother's neck snapped in his direction. "What was that?"

Cas jumped in his seat, glancing at his siblings for support, but all he got was disapproving glares from his eldest brothers, a look of horror from Hannah and an amused look from Gabe as he mouthed _nice one, bro._

"The party," Cas blurted out. "I said 'the party'. So, its tonight?"

His mother's eyes narrowed. "Yes, its tonight, so you all better be dressed to fit the Novak name and you better do it quickly!" She snapped, when non of them moved, she chucked her finger out to point at the stairs. "NOW!"

* * *

" _Dress to suit the Novak name_ ", Gabe said, in his best Naomi impersonation. "That bitch comes back here and orders us all around like she's even deserving of the title of our mother. The freaking Novak name! We might as well all go naked for what that means to the rest of us."

Castiel's brother was lounging on his bed, his suit jacket hanging off the bed post, hands behind his head. Cas couldn't say that he didn't disagree with his brother. A mother should act like a mother if she wants to gain her children's respect, its that simple, and only showing up to see your children when you need them to be the handsome faces of a perfectly angelic family doesn't quite make the cut. He didn't say anything, though. He was too busy trying to get his tie to go in a knot around his neck without strangling himself.

"Oh, come here," Hannah said with a sigh, getting off of Cas' bed too, where she had sat next to Gabe, to take the tie in her hands and knot it up with flourish. "And, Gabe. You really shouldn't talk so loud when she's here, you know what she's like."

Hannah wore a pretty red dress, that curved in at her waist and flowed down to her ankles. Her hair fell down her shoulder in curls and Cas couldn't help but think that his family were, in fact, very handsome. No wonder Naomi used them all as the businesses poster kids. She finished with Cas' blue tie and flopped back into her chair, smoothing down her skirt worriedly, as Gabe let out a snort.

"Han," he said, sitting up to pull on his jacket. "I could give a flying fuck whether she hears what I say about her. She's a selfish cow that cares about nothing but her own image." With a smirk, he looked over at Cas. "Just imagine what would happen to her is she knew about Cas and his fuck boy, Winchester."

Cas was off his seat, hand over his brother's mouth before Gabe could go any further. "Don't talk about that while she's here!" He hissed, glancing at the door. "She'd kill me."

Gabe leant back and away from Cas' hand, smirk still present. "Don't worry, little bro. I'll make it a beautiful funeral."

* * *

 This year, their mother seemed to have decided that the best place for the anniversary party was at a five star hotel, smack bang in the centre of town. The hotel's ridiculously massive and it suits Naomi to no end. Once they make their way inside, they are immediately attacked by people in tux's offering to take coats and girls in elegant dresses carrying silver trays stacked with wine glasses that Cas takes on the thought that what he's going to go through tonight may be more bearable with a few dozen glasses on his side.

The night starts off just as badly as Cas expected. He spends the first few seconds hovering in the ballroom with Gabe and Hannah standing by his side. Hannah is nervously wringing her hands in front of her, while Gabe shamelessly checks out the waiters, when Naomi comes clopping over in her heels, a look of annoyance on her face.

"Go talk to people," she orders, gesturing at the crowd of stuck up snobs that is forming. "You are my children and it is about time that you take a step into our family career. How are you ever going to be respected by your inferiors if you do not show them that you are worth it? You are old enough now that you should be looking for your future spouse and this is the perfect place for you to find respectable partners."

Castiel stared at her mother in dismay. Was she really trying to set them up for marriage? Hannah was only sixteen, for God's sake! He knew what his mother was trying to say. Marry someone here who's rich, so that my business will be better off and you wont get in my way. When she left, Cas scoffed, turning to his siblings who seemed to be in the same state of outrage as him.

Hannah's twisted her hands more violently, a look of horror on her face. "She wants me to look for a husband? But I'm only sixteen!"

Gabe laughed bitterly. "She wants you to marry someone rich, Han. So that you can stay out of the business and hand it over to someone who she thinks is more capable. She probably expects you to be home-ridden and pregnant by the time you're eighteen, the bitch."  Gabe looked as though he was ready to rage for at least another minute, but he was cut off when his eyes trailed after a fairly attractive guy in a suit. "That said, there is no reason why we shouldn't make the most of the resources that we are presented with, if you know what I mean." With a wiggle of his eyebrows, he was off and on the prowl.

Hannah laughed. Even though Gabe liked to act like a douche sometimes, he also knew how to make people feel better without even having to try.

"Well," Cas mumbled, taking a large gulp of his wine, "I'll see you once this torture is done."

That's how Cas found himself making awkward conversation with a man about the same age as his mother about his families business. Say what you will about him, Cas does actually listen to what Michael says about the career he will be eventually forced into, so it's not like he's totally clueless. However, neither is he the best face of the business.

The man is strange for Naomi's usual partners: with his less expensive suit, untamed beard and shabby boots. In fact, he seems to be the only person in the room that isn't at least a millionaire, Cas and his siblings included. He says that he is the owner of a pretty big engineering company and, although they started off in a dingy garage in town, the company is quickly expanding nationwide. With, of course, the help of the Novak business, which gives loans and advice to such companies. Of course, this is just Naomi's way of pretending that her aim is to assist humans, when really it gives her a swanky home that she never lives in and a company to force upon her children. Seriously, Castiel isn't bitter _at all_.

"Well, it's lovely to see that you were able to make it tonight, Mr Singer," Cas' mother's voice says tightly, from behind him. Cas watches as his mother steps forwards and daintily shakes Mr Singer's hand, subtly wiping it on the back of her dress once he lets go. "I see that you've had the pleasure of meeting my youngest son, Castiel. Did you come here alone yourself?"

Mr Singer shook his head. "No, I didn't. In fact, I brought my best worker with me and a close family friend." He twists his head over his shoulder to a group of boys that stand in a circle just next to them. "Oi! Get over here, ya idgit!"

He hears a boy snort, as one of the men break away from the group, standing out vibrantly in his tight fitting suit. Cas immediately wishes he was anywhere, and he means any-freaking-where, than where he is right now, because the eyes that are looking at him with total amusement are way to familiar for comfort.

"This young man here is Dean Winchester," Mr Singer informs Cas' mother with a small smile on his face. "He's my best and will be taking over my business once I've kicked the bucket."

And, with a smile that practically had Cas' legs crumbling beneath him, Dean leant forward and placed a kiss on Naomi's hand. "You must be Castiel's mother," he inquires. "It's a _pleasure_ to meet you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really have anything to say this chapter other than I hope that you like it and that you should be expecting some good ol' Destiel action in the next chapter with a whole lot of awkward.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Cas was fairly certain that he stared for a few minutes too many. He stared out of total shock, of course, it had nothing to do with the fact that Dean Winchester was standing in front of him in a tux. It was such a difference to see him in something so formal, when Cas was so used to seeing him wear only flannels and jeans. In fact, he was surprised that Dean even owned anything else. The tux was _way_ to tight fitted for Cas to stop himself from looking at the outline of Dean's muscles and the tie that was clasped around his throat in a tight knot was _way_ to similar to that of the colour of his eyes for Cas not to blush, just a little. His eyes just wouldn't seem to move away, like they had been super-glued in the direction of Dean Winchester.

Of course, there was a logical explanation for this anomaly, Cas thought, and that was the absolute horror of Dean-freaking- Winchester standing in front of him at his families party. What was Dean thinking? Surely he would have known that Cas and his family would be there, so why the hell would he turn up, despite knowing that he was both hated and the Novak sibling's dirty little secret? There were angels all over the place here who could discover how much he knows of their kind and then Castiel's family would be screwed. _That little-_

"Castiel?"

He blinked, snapping out of his mind rant, to see three faces looking up at him expectantly (one of those faces looking way to damn pleased with himself, if he must say so himself). "Wh- What?"

Naomi's smile became forced and she leant forward to repeat the question, this time with a hiss hidden behind the words. "Mr Singer asked you what you thought of his apprentice Dean."

Castiel glanced at Mr Singer, who smiled at him weakly, and then at Dean, who raised an eyebrow at him with a satisfied smirk on his face, as if to say _Oh,_ _I'd love to know._

"Well," Cas coughed to clear his throat and put on his best smile, "he seems to be one of those people that you just can't get rid of." _No matter how much you may want to,_ he wanted to add, but didn't.

The others began to get into another conversation, so Castiel took his chance and grabbed Dean by the arm, yanking him into an empty corridor away from the main throng of the party. He then let go and glared. "What the hell are you thinking?" He hissed, crossing his arms angrily. "What on earth compelled you to come here, you absolute idiot? Don't you know how dangerous it is for you to be here? You're gonna get us all into trouble. You total and utter-"

Castiel would have liked to say that he cut off at his own choice and free will, but that would have been a lie, because the next thing he knew, he was being pressed up against a wall, chest to chest with the idiot who was going to get him into a whole lot of trouble.

"Wh- What are you doing?" He stuttered because it was seriously hard to focus when you had a guy that you were trying really hard to not think of as attractive infiltrating your private space. He could feel Dean breathing, his heart thumping quickly, and he wondered if he had tired him out by pulling him into the corridor because that was the only way that Dean's heart could be pulsing that fast.

Dean had his hands rested either side of Castiel's head, the only thing that was leaving the smallest of gaps between their faces. His eyes rested on Cas' and Castiel couldn't bring himself to do anything over than stare back.

"I came here because I heard your family was throwing a party and I _really_ wanted to see you in a suit," he took the opportunity to pull back slightly, offering Cas a couple of gulps of fresh air, while he glanced down at Castiel's body with a smirk on his face. "And, I must say, I'm not disappointed."

Despite his wishes, Cas was fairly certain he was blushing, but he didn't ponder on the meaning of it. Instead, he glared back at Dean through his slightly foggy glasses. "You're a total idiot," he snapped, watching as Dean's grin only grew bigger.

"And you have a beautiful way with words," he replied back, leaning into him further. Castiel jumped out of his skin when he felt a hot kiss on his neck. Dean pulled back, pupils dilated, smile lazy, almost as if-

"Are you drunk?" Cas snapped, putting his hands on Dean's shoulder's and shoving him away. Cas breathed a sigh of relief, his nostrils filling with air. For a moment, he missed whatever scent it was that he had just been smelling, but that thought was pushed out of his head when he heard footsteps coming down the hall and the sound of voices. He grabbed Dean by the arm again and pulled him into the door closest to him. It just so happened to be a small cupboard packed full of cleaning products.

Cursing the world for it's damned clichés, Cas stood silently as he listened to the footsteps as they passed, willing their owners to _hurry the hell up._ Obviously, Dean had resumed his position with his arms practically wrapped around Cas, but this time, Cas could smell the alcohol on him, along with whatever that smell was from earlier. "Dean," he hissed, trying to create as much space between them as he could. "Move over, you're drunk."

Cas shivered slightly when he felt Dean's finger's brush his neck and thread into his hair. The footsteps were gone, so Cas took the chance to reach for the door handle, but he was blocked by the body pinning him against a shelf. "Dean, move, you wouldn't be doing this if you were sober."

He felt Dean chuckle against his neck, where he had kissed him earlier. "Or maybe I want to be this close to you both sober and drunk."

"I doubt it," Cas breathed.

Castiel wormed his way out of Dean's grasp and threw the door open, glancing down the corridor in relief when it was empty. He heard Dean stumble out behind him and turned around to see him staring at Cas in an expression he couldn't place. "That's your problem, Cas," he said, leaning forward and pushing Castiel's glasses back up his nose.

"Whatever you say, Dean. Let's get you home before someone sees you."

* * *

It only took a few minutes to find Mr Singer and inform him of Dean's current state, at which he laughed and told him that they could use his truck to get home. Cas then had to tell him that he wasn't able to drive yet and that they could just walk, as he remembered Dean's address from the party and could get him their safely.

Dean was a pain in the ass the whole walk to his. Constantly asking Cas "Why can't you just fly us home?" To which Cas would reply that them appearing in the middle of the street out of no where would be rather suspicious and "anyway, I'm not a taxi service."

Once they did reach Dean's door, Cas watched as he unlocked it and stepped inside. He would have turned away immediately, if it wasn't for the fact that another boy, a few years younger than them, appeared on the other side of the door step. He was wearing flannel, just like Dean normally wears, but his was buttoned up, only leaving one button at the top open. He had long hair and eyes similar colour to his Dean. This was clearly Sam Winchester, his brother.

Dean was already up the steps and into the house, pulling his younger brother into a hug, yelling "Sammy!"

Castiel watched awkwardly from the door as Sam patted Dean on the back and then pulled back quickly, letting out a breath. "Jesus, Dean. You stink of alcohol," he laughed. "How pissed are you?" Castiel noticed that Sam looked at his brother the way that you would look at your hero. It was obvious that they were close and Cas wondered how someone like Dean Winchester could act as an idol for anyone.

Dean looked at his brother, who was almost taller than him, with humour. "I can hold my liquor."

Sam laughed again. "Sure, Dean," he glanced around Dean and met Castiel's eyes for the first time. "Thanks for bringing him back, Castiel. It would have been a problem for Bobby to have to leave earlier for my idiot brother's sake. He was there for business." He glared at Dean patronisingly at the last part and Dean mumbled something like "Screw business," before heading up the stairs in loud thuds.

Cas smiled, surprised at any Winchester could have good manners. "That's okay- Wait, how do you know my name?"

Indicating that Cas come in, Sam laughed as he stepped aside to let Cas pass. "How do I know the name of the guy my brother's been in love with since he came out of the closet? Wow, I wonder."

Freezing in the middle of the hallway, Cas turned to look at Sam, checking to see that he was joking. There was a smile on his face and so Cas chuckled too, half-heartedly. Sam walked into the front room, the room that the party had mainly be held in, and sat down on the sofa, while Cas took a seat in a single chair. He wondered why he had been invited in. He didn't really know what he was doing in the Winchester's house, but he sensed that Sam was a nice guy and he already liked him, so he figured it would do no harm to have a quick chat, any excuse to not go back to the party and his mother.

"You seem really different from him," Cas said, hoping to start conversation. It wasn't like he wanted to talk about Dean, but the older Winchester was the only thing that they had in common, that he knew of. "Nicer."

Sam smiled, shaking his head. "Despite what people think, Dean's a softie. He just acts the big man because its easier for him than to talk about his feelings, which is something people never expect the jock to do," Sam talked about his brother fondly, like their was no person that he could think of that was better. "Like, the other day, he heard this guy who had been bullying me a lot say something about our mother. He was calling me a son of a bitch and then Dean heard him say 'oh no, that bitch is dead, isn't she?'"

Cas drew in a breath, but Sam just gave him a small smile and continued. "I would have let it go, but Dean beat the crap out of him, partly because of what he said, but also because of what the guy had been doing to me. Of course, he told everyone that he had just felt like a fight, but really he did it because he cared about me and our mother. He's really a good guy, and you? Well, he doesn't shut up about the 'hot guy who totally hates me'. In fact, the fact you hate him seems to be one of the things that he likes about you the most. You know, seeing as most of the time he has a flock of both guys and girls chasing after him. He likes that you hate him."

The Dean that Sam talks about is completely different from the one Cas knew. Or, at least, thought he knew, but the facts do fit. Dean had been beating that guy up, Cas was there, he just never considered that Dean had a decent motive for it, just assumed he did it for his own amusement. Maybe the guy he had hated for so long wasn't the real Dean at all, just someone that he had built an image of.

"I don't hate him," Cas mumbled, wondering why he had.

"Oh, really," came a different voice. Castiel jumped, looking up at the doorframe to see Dean watching him intently, arm against wall. " _Then how do you feel about me, Cas?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God. I've had a whole two weeks off from school and it's like I never left. I've been studying the whole time and, I swear, if I see one more revision book I'm gonna punch something. So, I'm sorry for the gaps in between updates, I'm trying my best.
> 
> This was a long one because I just couldn't stop right, I guess it's been my lack of free will to do something fun for the whole of Easter, that just kept me writing. I hope that you like it! Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Ten minutes.

Cas spent ten horrifically long minutes mumbling incoherent words and phrases, fruitlessly attempting to string together a sentence to answer Dean's question, which was stupid, of course, because what Cas thought about the older Winchester was completely simple. He didn't hate him, an obvious improvement, but they were _not_ friends. So, why on earth had Cas found it so hard to just answer the question. Why had he stood there, in the Winchester's living room, muttering confusedly before hastily retreating out of the house, making an excuse about needing to get back to the party, which he totally didn't want to return to. Seriously, it would have been utterly painful to watch. Cas felt humiliated. Charlie, well, she thought it was hilarious.

"And you just stood there?" She gasped out between laughs. They were sat out on the school field, during their break, under a giant oak tree. It was one of their favourite spots, as most of the kids didn't travel that far outside, as it was too far away for the wifi to reach, and so it was always quiet and empty. Like their own little hide away. When they were younger, they used to climb it and eat their lunch in the tree, but that was a couple of years ago and Cas had lost his childlike bravery. Plus, he could never make it up their anymore. The poor guy could hardly make it down the stairs without pulling a muscle.

Glaring at Charlie, Cas hoped that his blush would be taken as one of anger, because he was embarrassed to say that what she had said was totally true. "Yes, but I don't see the big deal, its not like I care what he thinks of me."

"Yeah, sure," Charlie said, laughter dying down as she watched Cas with a knowing look. "You didn't care. Totally. So, why didn't you just tell him that you hated him and leave?" She crossed her arm, a satisfied smile evident on her face as she made her point. When Cas only looked down at his shoes, she nudged her shoulder into his. "You're totally into him."

His head shot up at the comment, as he scoffed. "I do not like Dean Winchester!" He remarked, throwing his hands up over his head in annoyance, attempting to dismiss the thought. "He's an idiot! Why the hell would I like him? You know that I think he's a total twat. Nothing has changed."

Charlie just smiled. "It sounds a lot like you're trying to convince yourself more than me, Cas," she pointed out. "I think the twat is growing on you and, when you finally realise it, come to me." She gave a malicious grin. "I've always wanted to be a matchmaker."

  

* * *

"Your essays are due in tomorrow, people! I'm giving you this extra time because I was feeling generous today, but don't think that you'll be getting anymore. I wanna see you typing on these computers like your lives depend on it. Which, for your final History grade, _they really do_!"

Castiel hands were moving mechanically over the keyboard. He should have gotten this essay done the night before, but his mother's surprise of a party had totally screwed up that plan, so now he was here with the rest of the slackers trying to make up for it. He had never been so low on the education chain in his life.

Most of the people in here were pissing about. The group was made up off mainly popular kids, who didn't give a damn about their grades because for their tiny little minds being queen bee or head jock in high school is all you could possibly achieve in life. Him, however, he needed to get perfect grades to get out of this town, get away from his mother and their horrible family business. He wanted to be a doctor. Of course, he knew that the people of Heaven would have no problem with such a career, as he was definitely helping humans, but his mother? Well, lets just say that he hasn't told her yet.

A group of people were making a fuss over on the other side of the row of computers that Castiel sat on. When he glanced over at them, he was unsurprised that the group was made up of Dean and his gang of misfits. Dean and Benny seemed to be whispering about something and shooting Cas looks from the corner of their eyes. At first, Cas felt uncomfortable with their stares, wondering what the hell they were talking about. But, when Benny leaned in towards Dean, saying something into his ear, and then laughing. He felt another emotion bubble up through his stomach.

Ignoring the sour taste that had just filled his mouth, he kept writing, trying his best to block out the ringing in his ears and the laughter that trailed along with it. He was getting really annoyed now. Why the hell would Dean be laughing about him? He was just sitting here. Did he have something on his face?

He peered into the reflexion on the screen, checking his appearance, but he seemed to be fine. So, he glanced back at Dean and his friend. This time, the sight sent him reeling. Benny was still talking to Dean, but he had his arm around Dean's shoulder's and Dean was leaning into him. For some reason the sight _really_ pissed him off. Ignoring it now was out of the question, they were laughing harder and Dean was still inside Benny's arm and Cas was outright glaring now and-

_BLAM_

He didn't mean to do it. He hadn't done something like this since he was ten and he had gotten angry about something that Michael had said to him. Ten year old Cas had blown a hole in the wall due to his rage. Since then he had been able to control his emotions, but not today. He had blown up Dean's computer. When you see the words 'blown up', its no understatement. As in, the computer now remained with only its keyboard hissing angrily, with its counterpart totally destroyed. When Cas saw that Dean was staring at it in total shock, hands pressed to his face, probably hurt from the explosion, Cas panicked. _What had he done? What if Dean was hurt? What if people worked out it was him?_ The still logical part of his brain was telling him that no one could possibly pin this on him, but his mind was still going crazy. What had gotten him so worked up? He hadn't been that angry.

But, as he thought it, he could feel the heat still in his cheeks and he knew that he had to get away before he did something else. Scraping his chair back quickly, he ran from the room, unnoticed by the people crowded around Dean, asking him if he was okay. Not, however, unnoticed by the man in the middle of the crowd, who watched him go with total dismay and _oh god_. Horror.

* * *

For the first time ever, Castiel broke two rules in one miserable day; first, he skipped the rest of school and, second, he flew home. He made sure that he wasn't seen, for he could quite easily turn invisible and fly away without the eyes of horrified teenagers watching a pair of giant black wings flapping off into the distance. Like he hasn't made enough of a spectacle of himself today already.

Of course, now, he was seeking refuge in his room, watching Doctor Who reruns on some random channel that he came across while clicking the remote in his hand, more for something to do than the hope of watching anything. But he was becoming quite happily wrapped up in 'Blink', so much so that he almost didn't hear the knock on his bedroom door. When he did, however, he ignored, knowing that Gabe would just be there to know why the hell Cas wasn't there at the end of school. Hopefully he'd get the message and go away.

Unfortunately, nothing seemed to be going his damn way today because the knocking continued at a consistent beat. Rolling his eyes, Cas flicked his hand in the direction of the door, too tired to actually stand up and open it, and kept his eyes on the weeping angel that stared at him threateningly. He listened as Gabe came into the room and closed the room.

"I know, I know, Gabe," he groaned. "I skipped school, call the cops or, better yet, call mother. I really don't give a d-"

A small cough interrupted Cas' rant mid-speech, one that was way to manly to be Gabriel's voice. Cas threw his head around to the door, blinking in surprise and horror when he saw who it was at the door, arms crossed, watching him with a frown on his face.

"Dean? What are you doing here?"

Dean remained glued to the spot by the door, but his arms tightened at Castiel's question, eyebrows drawing together in what Cas assumed was anger. "What am I doing here?" He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Cas, you blew up my computer- and, don't deny it, I know it was you- of course I came to see you."

Castiel shuffled forward on his bed, so that his legs dangled over the side. Hands clasped together in his lap, twisting and turning in panic, he looked up at Dean with a pained expressing pulling his skin taut. What did Dean want? An apology? A confession? Next thing he'll be wanting Cas in a high security prison, with nothing but a matress and a tiny little window. God, the food with be terrible, and he'd have to eat it all with a plastic spork that would break of into his gruel. He shuddered at the thought.

"I'm really sorry," he muttered, not quite meeting Dean's eyes out of fear of what he would see in them. Since when did he care about what anyone thought about him, talk about Dean Winchester. Ugh, he needs to get a grip. If he had kept a hold of himself and whatever the hell these bubbling emotions are that he keeps feeling, he would have never blown up the damned computer in the first place. "I don't know what happened. One minute I was doing my essay and then the next I just got really angry all of a sudden."

The angered expression that covered Dean's face slipped away as he let his hands drop loosely to his sides in defeat. He ran a hand through his hair and walked over to Castiel, taking a seat next to him on his bed. Both of them sat silently for a couple of awkward minutes until Dean broke the silence with a chuckle.

Turning to look at him in confusion, Cas asked, "What's so funny?"

Dean just shook his head, laughter dying off slowly. "You blew up a computer, man," he said, a twinge of awe evident in his voice. "I mean, your practically a walking dynamo. That freaking amazing. You should have seen Benny's face, he was so confused. He's even gonna try and sue the computer company for selling dodgy tech."

At the mention of Benny's name, Cas narrowed his eyes and went back to staring at the wall in front of him. He didn't understand what was wrong with him. Benny had never even talked to him before, so why did he suddenly hold a grudge against him? Dean seemed to notice that Cas was having a mental battle with himself because he turned to him curiously, a small smirk on his face.

"What made you angry anyway? Did the computer give you a dirty look or something?"

Cas let out a small chuckle, surprises both Dean and himself. Dean smiled proudly that he had succeeded in making the boy next to him laugh, while Castiel's mind raced faster. "I don't really know. I just got real angry, real fast. I haven't blown something up in a long time. I'm normally pretty good at controlling my emotions."

"Your telling me," Dean replied, flopping backwards horizontally onto Cas' bed, staring up at the ceiling, legs still hanging over the side, like a big man in a child's bed. "I've been hanging out with you for days and I still cant tell if you still hate me or not."

Rolling his eyes, Cas lay down next to Dean, with a considerable amount of space between their two arms, making the act a lot less intimate then it could be, but he still saw Dean's muscles stiffen slightly, his warmth still making it's way over to Castiel's bones. He shivered slightly. "I don't hate you," Cas admitted reluctantly, as Dean placed his hands behind his head, turning from the ceiling to lie on his arm, facing Castiel. Ashamedly, Cas blushed, returning his own eyes skywards. "I mean, I still think your a jerk, but I don't hate you."

Dean let out a loud "hey!", smacking Cas on the arm as he laughed, glasses crooked on his nose, mind reeling. _No_ , he thought, _I don't hate you Winchester, but whatever I feel for you, I don't like it. Not one bit._

Suddenly, Dean sat up where he was and looked down at Cas, who followed suit, pushing himself into a sitting position, shoving his glasses back up his nose impatiently. "We should do something," Dean said, nodding his head along to the thought. "Go somewhere."

Cas chuckled again at his bizarre emthusiasm. "Like what?"

"Like, pie."

"Like pie?"

Smiling, Dean grabbed Castiel's hands and yanked him off of the bed. "It's always a good time for pie", Dean replied like it was normal human knowledge, not that Cas is human. "I know the perfect place that make this freaking mouth watering apple pie."

Cas grabbed his jacket and nodded. "Okay, its a date."

The look on Dean's face told Cas that his joking phrase may have been taken just a bit to heart.

 _Well done_ , Cas thought. _You idiot._

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my Chuck! One week. I only have one week into my dreaded exams begin and bring with it the most stressfully painful month of my life. Yeah, I may be using writing this story as a way of procrastinating and, let me tell you, its working very effectively on both my time wasting skills and guilt. GAAAH.
> 
> Oh, but, what about the newest episode of Supernatural, "Don't call me Shurley."? Was that awesome or not? I mean, both Metatron and Chuck in one episode, how can my feels take such a hit? 
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy it. I'll try and get another chapter up by the end of next week, but after that I don't know how long it will be 'till my next upload (did mention exams?!)


	10. Chapter 10

Wind danced in through the open window, ruffling Castiel's hair and making his skin tinkle. He watched as the world around him zoomed past, a kaleidoscope of lights and stars blending together as the sky began to darken. It would have been all very cliché, like from one of those teen movies where they all go on a road trip and discover themselves, if it wasn't for the fact that Cas could hardly pay attention to the breeze or the lights due to the fact that Dean was blaring rock music out of his speakers like he wanted to burst his own ear drums. It wasn't that Castiel didn't like his taste in music or that he hated Dean's car, in fact he quite liked both (but don't tell Dean that), it was more that Cas felt strangely offended that Dean didn't seem to want to talk to him. He was using the excruciatingly loud music as a barrier between him and Castiel in order to avoid conversation.

Castiel wondered whether he had done something to offend the boy in the drivers seat, but that just lead to thoughts of why the hell he cared in the first place. Seriously, he was sitting shotgun in the Impala of Dean Winchester and he was more concerned about the lack of conversation between the two of them. Shouldn't he be more worried for his virtue?

The thought made him chuckle which, somehow, reached Dean ears, because he turned his head in his seat, eyes flickering to Cas with a small smirk before he turned his focus back to the road. Without budging his stare, Dean twisted the volume down slightly allowing Castiel a sigh of relief as the pressure on his ears eased. Dean let out a deep cough. "What's so funny?"

Shrugging, Castiel turned to watch him as he drove. Dean had one hand rested on the wheel and the other lightly on the gear stick. Castiel noted how comfortable he was in his car and he wondered whether he was ever this comfortable with an actual person. He doubted it.

"Nothing," Cas replied, cursing himself for analysing Dean so closely. "So, where are we actually going, and don't say that its a surprise, I hate surprises."

Dean chuckled and Castiel watched as dimples on his cheeks flexed. "I would never do something that you would hate, Cas," Dean replied, turning into a tight lane that was clear of other cars.

"Oh, sure," said Cas. "Because its not like you're the guy who's been tormenting me since middle school."

Dean shuffled back in his seat. "You know they say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit and I didn't torment you, we were the best of friends."

"If you had read the actual quote, you would know that it's also the highest form of intelligence and we were not friends."

Laughing, Dean pulled into a car park outside the front of a smallish café with the sign that said 'HARVELLE'S ROADHOUSE CAFE'. Cas thought it was a rather strange for a café, but if the food was as amazing as Dean was saying, then he didn't give a damn.

"You're such a nerd," Dean said, undoing his seatbelt.

"Well, aren't you lucky then," Cas deadpanned, swinging open his door. "I'm the whole package."

* * *

The café was just as nice as it was one the outside. Small, but comfortable with little booths along the walls and squared tables scattered around the centre. There was a counter on the far side of the room, which you could see the chef working away to prepare food and, Cas had to admit, the place smelt pretty damn good.

Practically the minute they stepped in though the door, Dean was engulfed by a girl yanking him in for a hug, a mass of blond hair. Dean laughed and hugged her back, while Cas watched awkwardly, a tightening in his chest. Maybe he had just taken Castiel there so he could check out the hot chicks. Despite the fact that it didn't matter who Dean looked at, it still stung. Cas brushed the pain off with the excuse that he was just using Cas as a wingman without his permission.

The girl pulled back and smiled politely at him. She seemed to be a couple of years younger than them, fourteen or fifteen perhaps, but even Cas could tell that she was still very pretty; all blond hair and chocolate eyes. Suddenly she stepped forward to slap Dean on the arm and, though Cas could see that Dean's eyes remained neutral, he also heard that it was one hell of a slap.

"You haven't come to see us in months, Dean!" She exclaimed. " Me and mom were beginning to think that you'd totally forgotten about us. Sam visits all the time, you douchebag."

Dean raised his arms up in surrender. "I'm sorry, Jo. I've just been busy with school and my dad and", he glanced over at Cas with a smirk on his face, "stuff."

Jo rolled her eyes and gestured for them to follow her. "I'm not stupid, Winchester,  I know that you're just too lazy and, apparently, you cant leave this new boyfriend of yours alone for long enough to take the ten minute trip here."

Cas almost tripped over his own feet at the comment, abruptly steadying himself in order to make stuttered comments about how "we're not dating! He's not my boyfriend!" He only calmed down when Jo shrugged again and pointed at the booth furthest to the door, which Cas took a seat in while Dean, who still had a satisfied smirk on his face sat opposite.

Jo laid down the menus in front of them, making sure to slam Dean's down on the table making Cas jump. "I wouldn't date this jerk either. You stop offering his free pie and he doesn't want to see you anymore."

Dean threw his arms up in the air in annoyance. "I told you, Jo. I was busy. I promise you I wont do it again. I'll be in here every waking moment of my life from this moment on."

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Jo shook her head. "Whatever, Dean. Enjoy your date."

As she turned to leave, Cas made to call after her to tell her again that they were very, very far from being on a date. Seriously, it was just two guys getting some food together, dammit, but he was stopped when Dean held his hand out for Cas to stop. "She's just taking the piss, Cas, " he said, picking up his menu, eyes widening happily as he looked over the array of food. "You should have the burgers here, there fucking amazing. I mean, dude, look at this one. Its two burgers, cheese, bacon, onion and three buns. Its like Heaven in a burger."

"I'll give it a go, then," Cas said, breathing deeply to get over his previous shake. It surprised him how comfortable he felt with Dean, despite how little he really knew about him. It kind of worried him that Dean knew so much about him, but Cas had minimum knowledge in return. Dean didn't seem like the kind of person to just throw out information about himself, the only people he seemed to be comfortable with were his brother and Benny and, for some reason, that pissed him off.

"Really?" Dean asked, lowering his menu to watch Cas as he glanced over his own. The burgers did sound really nice, Cas thought, maybe he'd get that and pie after. "What about 'all God's children' and all that shit?"

Castiel dropped his menu and laid his hands on the table in front of him. "Just because I'm _very_ religious doesn't mean I don't eat meat." He hoped that Dean understood that they couldn't mention Cas' being an angel in public.

Dean laughed at the phrase and crossed his arms on the top of the table, his flannel shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows. "Well, I don't know much about religion, you know. I mean, I went to Church a few times when I was younger, but going to Church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car. I never really believed in that kinda stuff, until, you know, _recently_."

They were interrupted when another waitress came and asked for their orders, but she quickly left and Cas searched for a way to carry on the conversation, he strangely wanted to know more about Dean and his past.

"You went when you were young? How come you stopped?"

Frowning slightly, Dean leaned further forward towards the table and Cas realised that he had taken up a similar stance. "My dad stopped all that sort of stuff after my mom died. He said that if God really was there, he wouldn't let someone like my mother go. Then he got really bad and started drinking and stopped working. I ended practically living off the money my mom had made as a doctor to support Sammy and me. It was a hard time."

Castiel stared at him in shock for a couple of seconds. He had never realised just how bad things were for him and since such a young age. He had known that Dean's mother had passed away and that his father had gone off the end because of it, but he never considered the effect it would have had on Dean and his brother. The look on Dean's face said that he didn't want to go into it any further, so Cas did his best to change the topic.

"Your mother was a doctor? That's what I wanna do when I'm older. Did she enjoy it?"

Visibly relaxing, Dean smiled at the memory of whatever he was thinking about and Cas couldn't help but notice just how attractive he was when he was really being himself. "She did. I don't remember much about her, but I remember her being happy to help people. She was incredibly smart and kind and sometimes I wonder why someone like my mom chose someone like my dad to be with. You kinda remind me of her, Cas."

Not being able to feel oddly touched, Cas smiled. He caught Dean's eye and they both watched each other from across the table. Cas was amazed to say that he couldn't stop looking at the colour of Dean's eyes. They were green, but not a shade that he had ever seen before. They were Dean's own shade and it made Cas feel annoyed that he only had boring blue eyes, but he also figured that it would be weird to stare at his own eyes in the mirror, so he was fine with them being Dean's. Cas found himself noticing more and more about Dean's features; his dimples, a constellation of freckles across his cheeks, the way his lips looked really, really soft.

A cough cleared the silence. Cas snapped his eyes away from Dean's, blood rushing to his cheeks, as Jo stood watching them with their food in both of her hands, eyebrow arched. She placed the food down. "Not date," she mumbled as she pulled back. "I know I'm stupid but I'm not _that_ stupid." 

* * *

"That was the best meal I've had in ages," Cas sighed, leaning back against his chair, hand over his stomach. Dean watched him happily, probably pleased at being correct about the food, his own arm flopped over his stomach. Cas was slightly annoyed that despite Dean had just devoured a meal for five, he still had no stomach, while he felt like he wouldn't be able to fit through the door to leave.

"What did I tell you," he asked, a smug smile on his face, "this place is freaking amazing."

Cas laughed. "I cant believe that you ate so much. I mean, after the burger, pie and chocolate cake I thought you'd be unable to stand, but then you went and bought the friggin' sundae too. If you eat so much, how do you still look like that?"

Just as Cas realised what he had said, Dean was already smirking harder and leaning closer to Cas across the table. He was as close to him, as the table between them would allow, but it was still pretty close. Unfortunately for Cas, Dean smelt amazing, a mixture of car oil, chocolate and something else that smelt great. It was intoxicating and Cas was leaning forward too without even having decided to.

"And how do you think I look, Cas?" Dean's voice had suddenly turned husky and Cas had to take a deep breath to hold of a shiver. What was happening to him?

He mentally shook himself and rolled his eyes, hoping he wasn't visibly blushing. "Ugly."

Dean blinked in shock, but then pulled himself back, and laughed. "I beg to differ."

Pulling himself out of the booth, brushing his trousers down and watching as Dean did the same thing. "I'd like to see from your point of view, but I don't think I can get my head that far up my arse."

Dean burst out laughing and placed his hand on Castiel's shoulder, eyes watering. Castiel just rolled his eyes, secretly proud of comeback, thinking that Gabe was rubbing off on him. "Come on," he said, ignoring the feel of Dean's hand on his shoulder like it wasn't burning through his sweater. "We need to get home. Its late."

Nodding his head, Dean followed Castiel out of the door, thanking Jo on their way out. They both headed through the night, finding the Impala using the dim street lights, that reflected of its hood. Cas climbed into the passenger seat and watched as Dean followed.

The drive home was quiet, as they were both so quiet from eating so much food, but once Dean pulled in by the front of Cas' house, Cas found himself not moving. He knew it was stupid and that he should have said goodbye and gone to bed, but something was stopping him front going. Dean watched him from his seat and suddenly he was chuckling. Feeling self conscious, Cas glared at him. "What?"

"You've got pie on your face," he laughed.

Cas shuffled in his seat, trying to see in the reflexion of the front window, rubbing his hand over his face. "Did I get it?" He asked, eyebrows drawn together in concentration.

Dean sighed and leaned forward in his own seat, shaking his head. "I'll get it," he mumbled, running his hand over the corner of Castiel's lip. Cas' breath caught and he breathed deeply, head buzzing. Dean seemed up able to glance away from him and they sat there for a couple of seconds. Cas began counting Dean's freckles, wondering how they could be so light and how there could be so many of them. He was aware that Dean's hand was still on his cheek, but he was doing everything that he had in him to keep himself together.

"Cas," Dean breathed, and Cas looked up from Dean's cheeks to see that he was staring at him with an intensity that he had never been stared at with before.

"Yeah?" Cas mumbled, breath shaking.

"I got it."

Castiel watched him in confusion. How could someone's eyes be so beautiful?

"What?"

"The pie," Dean clarified, leaning closer, but Cas, despite his intelligent side, was not moving away. "I got it."

Cas leaned in. "Good."

And then Dean was kissing him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone for their support so far with this story, you guys rock! Thanks for all your comments wishing me good luck for my exams and there going okay at the moment. I'm sure some of you understand my pain and good luck to you guys too. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> This chapter has not been read through. So, if any of you have noticed any typos, please let me know! Thanks.


	11. Chapter 11

**WARNING**

**There is some explicit language in this chapter, so if that bothers you, don't read this.**

* * *

 

The first thought that ensued was _I don't know how to do this!_ But it was fleeting. Quickly, it was replaced with the touch of Dean's callused hand brushing over his cheek, the graze of stubble across his face and the feel of soft lips moving tentatively against his own. Castiel felt light, surrounded by the aroma of Dean and, unconsciously, he moved closer, arms wrapping around Dean's neck, pulling him in closer. It was like a reflex; his body naturally seeking out Dean's to cling onto, to be wrapped in the blanket of his warmth.

Sure, in theory he has no idea how to kiss. Ask him to write an essay about it and he would be stumped, but right now it was like he had been kissing for years. Lips moving against the boys opposite him, eyes dropped shut and, boy, could Cas get used to this feeling. So, when Dean opened his mouth under Castiel's it seemed only logical to let his tongue brush over the outline of Dean's mouth, tasting the apple pie he had eaten earlier and a hint of mint tooth paste. Dean tugged on his jacket, pulling him in closer, so that he could smell that aroma from where he sat, wedged up against the gear box in Dean's car.

They kissed for who knows how long, Castiel was too busy floating to pay attention to something so pointless as time. What's time when you're pressed up against someone who feels and smell so good? But, of course, human needs took over and they both had to pull back for air, Dean laying his forehead against Castiel's. It felt like Cas had just run a marathon with the fact he was he was huffing, face warm, body tingling.

Opening his eyes, he realised that Dean was already watching his, cheeks red, a small smile tugging at the side of his mouth, breath fanning out across Castiel's face. God, he was a sight to see looking like that and Cas had to take a breath of his own, pulling back in his seat to collect his composure. This was ridiculous, he couldn't be feeling so unravelled by Dean Winchester, while he just sat there smiling like he does this every single day. It's embarrassing.

But then the thought came to him, of course, Dean does this sort of thing all the time. He's probably had loads of boys and girl feeling as light headed as Cas is right now in the exact same car seat. In fact, Castiel is nothing special, he's just another kiss to add to a hell of a long list. What does he matter to someone like Dean? And, what are you supposed to do after a kiss like that, anyway? Just sit there patiently as the other person tells you that it was crap and that it wouldn't be happening again? Cas couldn't do that.

"I have to go," Cas breathed, flinching at how throaty his voice sounds, even to his own ears. Unclicking his car seat, he shoved the door open and began to climb out, wishing to just fly away, but he still had some dignity and flying away never solves any problems. At least running away is a human occurrence.

Dean leaned forward abruptly in his seat. "Cas, wait!" He called and, god help him, Cas couldn't stop himself from turning around at the sound of desperation in his voice. He bit his lip at the sight of Dean watching him from his car seat with a pained expression his face.

Heaving a breath, Cas shut his eyes, wiping the sight from his mind. "I really have to go."

And, with that, he turned and speed walked away, the sound of an engine starting up after the car pulled away filling his ears after a few steps.

Head hanging low, Cas made his way down the front lawn of his house, jumping in shock when the front door swung open upon his arrival, snapping before he could look up, "I know. I know. I'm late. I'm sorry, okay?"

"Well," came a voice that Cas was not expecting, forcing him to whip his head up in surprise, "that's no way to talk after eating the face off of that hottie with the green eyes, now is it, cuz?"

Cas felt his mouth drop slightly. "Balthazar?"

Balthazar, Castiel's blond haired cousin, the family disappointment, bowed, a smirk plastered on his face. He stepped aside with a sweeping arm and laughed at the sight of Castiel's red cheeks. Cas hadn't seen his cousin in years; they had texted and talked over the phone, but Balthazar never stood still. The last time that they had communed had been a few months previously, Cas in his room and Balthazar from a phone booth in England. He liked to travel. He also liked to go against his families wishes, which is why whenever him and Cas talked Castiel had to keep his voice quiet to avoid his mother flying to whatever country his cousin resided in to drag him home.

Balthazar didn't like being in the same state as an older angel, so the fact that he was here now, at the epoch of Naomi's wrath, was just overall surprising.

Pulling off his jacket, Cas walked into the kitchen, pouring himself a cold glass of water in attempt to cool himself down and calm the nerves that were having a party inside his stomach. "What are you doing here, Balth?" He questioned as he placed the cup on the table. "Y'know my mother will send you straight home if she sees you."

Shrugging his shoulders, Balthazar moved to lean on the kitchen counter next to where Cas stood, taking a sip of Castiel's water. "You think I'd be in this heaven-hole if I had a choice?" He said, voice tinged with self-defeat. "One minute I was strolling along the great wall of china, lady on my arm, cocktail in the other, and then, bamn! Your psychopath of a mother comes flapping down from the sky . Of course, I knew I was screwed, so I came with her, and here I am." He gestured around himself with a look of disappointment, as though the Novak kitchen didn't quite met the standards of an exotic land, and sighed. "Now, Naomi claims that I need to stay here because my parents don't want to see me and I have to go to your school, with the humans."

"Why don't you just run away again," Cas asked. It wasn't like he wanted Balthazar to leave, in fact they were very close friends and he liked the idea of Balth joining his school, but the conversation was doing a good job of distracting him from _certain_ events that had just occurred. 

Rolling his eyes, Balthazar taped his nails along the counter. "Tracking Sigil," he said blandly, like it was obvious.

Cas felt his eyes widen in horror. "My mother carved a Tracking Sigil into your skin?" He exclaimed in disgust. He could imagine his mother doing terrible things, but mutilation of a family member? That was pushing it.

Chuckling, Balthazar shook his head. "No, she put one on my mobile phone and, I don't care what pain she puts me through, me and that phone have been through a hell-of-a-lot, I'm not leaving it." Cas watched as Balth's eyes narrowed on him. "Anywho, why are we talking about me when we could be talking about that sex god you were just making out with, huh? I wanna know about him."

Castiel sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. Making out? He supposed he had been, hadn't he? Oh god, he had made out with Dean-freaking-Winchester! What on earth was he been thinking? What state of mind had he been in to think that actually kissing Dean would go anywhere good? And then he had ran away because he had been jealous of Dean's past experiences with other people? This is ridiculous.

Balthazar seemed to have realised that Cas' mind had gone into a state of _holyshitIkissedDeanWinchesterwhatdoIdo????_ because he laughed and clicked his tongue in mock disapproval. "Something tells me that you hadn't had an intention of making out with that dreamboat this evening, huh Cassie?" He nudged him playfully in the side.

"Shut up," Cas breathed, feeling both mentally and physically exhausted.

"You're the one who just did the dirty in an impala," Balth laughed. "What would you're mother think?"

Cas stared. "Don't you dare."

"Who do you think I am?" Balth smirked and strolled down the hall, leaving Cas to chase after him in complete horror.

Seems to be how most of today is going.

* * *

"Okay, so you're telling me that you've hated this Dean guy for like ever and now your make out buddies with him. How the heck did that happen?"

Cas and Balthazar walked through the school gates, both full of reluctance and both for totally different reasons. For Cas, all he could think about was what he was going to say to Dean to make him forget everything that had happened the previous night. Maybe he could just avoid him? Cas tended to be quite good at blending in, despite his giant wingspan. In fact, he could maybe hide behind Balth's wings, but, of course, the sight of an angels wings in the middle of the U.S would probably pull more attention that was worth.

Then there was the fact that Balth was already starting to get a lot of attention from both genders of the school already. Cas had to admit that his cousin did seem to have picked up the attractive gene in the family, with his blond hair and smooth skin. Then there was his eccentric clothing, the way he walked with bizarre confidence and just the idea of a new toy for the students to play with and destroy was pulling in the eyes of everyone.

Ignoring the feeling of eyes, Cas glanced around the front of the building, feeling relieved when he didn't see Dean anywhere. "I don't know," Cas sighed, pulling his back pack up his shoulders self-consciously. "It just sort of happened, but will you stop talking about it? People will hear."

Laughing, Balthazar threw his arm over Castiel's shoulder and pulling him in. Cas didn't pull back, despite the teasing in Balth's voice, because the arm was working as a pretty good barrier against peoples eyes, especially a possible Winchester's. "Oh, Cassie, let them hear. It sounds to me like you got the hottest guy at school drooling over you. Wait 'till the cheerleaders hear!"

Castiel winched at the image of a dozen girls in cheerleading uniforms smacking him with their pom poms and shook his head vigorously. "I swear, Balth, if you tell anyone, I will smite you."

"I'd like to see you try," Balth challenged and Cas went to slap him from under his cousins eyes, unable to help a laugh from escaping his lips, when he was cut off by the sight of Balthazar's eyes on someone inside the school halls, a smirk forming on his face.

By now, they had reached the school doors, and Castiel's eyes followed Balthazar's to land on the figure of Dean leaning against his locker with his arms crossed extremely tight. He was staring daggers as Cas through the door, anger filling his face with such intensity that Cas froze and wondered whether him having run away last night had been a worse decision than he had already thought.

He glanced up at his cousin in confusion and furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed that Balth was holding back a laugh. As they walked through the doors into the hall, he jumped in even more confusion as his cousin pressed a kiss to his forehead. Suddenly, he heard a loud slam and spun his head around to see Dean slam his locker door shut and storm away. Cas wondered what had made him so mad.

Glancing at Balth in bewilderment, he watched as his cousin laughed his head off, hand dropping from Castiel's shoulders as he clutched his stomach.

"Why'd you kiss me?" Cas demanded, while Balth laughed harder at the bemused look on his cousin's face.

"God, Cas, you're such an idiot."

"I don't understand," Cas replied in embarrassment.

"And that, Cassie, is why your in such a pickle right now."

* * *

Dean Winchester had hardly slept that night. In fact, when he woke up, he had felt tempted to down a can of beer just to get his body going. Instead, he had settled on a cup of coffee because he had to make sure that Sammy got to school okay and, despite the fact that his little brother had seen him outright pissed on multiple occasions, he doubted that the state would go unnoticed by others.

You see, his son of a bitch brain had kept him awake all night with freaking questions and facts. _Cas kissed you. Castiel Novak actually kissed you out of his own free will. Seriously, you didn't even dream it, you kissed Cas. But, why did he run away? You dumbass, of course he ran away, he freaking hates your ass. Then why did he kiss you?_

It was like a war; one half of his thoughts couldn't get over the fact that he had been kissed by Cas, while the other half was questioning everything that had happened after. Talk about raining on his parade.

But, he had pulled himself out of bed, taken a shower, and dragged Sammy to school. By the time he had reached his own locker, shoving his backpack away, he had made the decision to talk to Cas about it. He didn't want his chance with the guy he had been pining over (or stalking, really) since he met him to be ruined. He had come so far and he thought that Cas was starting to like him too, at least as a friend. So, he had told himself to man the fuck up and talk to him, despite how chick-flicky the conversation may become.

Running a hand through his hair, he leaned against the locker next to him, not bothering with closing his own because it gave him something hide behind if he chickened out, the pussy. In fact, he was actually starting to consider shimmying behind the door, no matter how unmanly it sounded, when he saw Cas walk through the gates.

At first, all he noticed was Cas. His spiky black sex hair, adorable thick rimmed glasses and that trench coat that was too big for his small body. As he got closer, Dean was drawn to those beautiful blue eyes, unlike any shade that Dean had ever seen before, like the ocean but better.

However, once Cas got closer, Dean realised he was not alone. There was another boy with him, one that seemed to be about the same age, and he had his arm slung tightly over Cas' shoulder. The worst thing? Cas wasn't shrugging out of the hold, in fact he was laughing along to something that the boy had said, leaning in closer to hear what he was saying. He looked completely comfortable with the stranger in a way that he never had with Dean before. And, the boy, he was attractive too. Dean wouldn't deny that his blond hair was very nice to look at.

It wasn't until the boy met Dean's eye, smirk on his face, that Dean became aware that his arms were crossed with such ferociousness that it was likely that the blood supply was being stopped at the biceps. In fact, he only then realised the fact that he felt like punching something, preferably the blond boys face, but when Cas glanced up at Dean, a look of confusion painting his expression, Dean took a calming breath. Cas could do that to him; calm him down. It was something that only Sammy could do before, but somehow Cas could do it without trying.

By the time Cas and the other boy had walked past Dean, he had almost recovered. It was then, though, that Dean watched as the blond jackass leant down a pressed a kiss onto Cas' forehead and all Cas did was glance at him. He had actually ran from Dean when they had kissed and now this stranger comes along and boom Cas' suddenly losses any physical contact issues.

The anger was boiling by now, jealousy thumping through his veins, as he slammed his locker door as hard as he could, partly because he was pissed and partly because he wanted Cas to look at him. As he turned to storm away, his eyes caught Cas' from where he fumed and immediately he was calmed by the want to hold him like the blond boy had, to kiss him like the blond boy had, to just be with him like that fucking blond boy.

God, he needed to punch something.

Hard. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeey. I'm sorry about the wait, I've been really busy and then I got writers block and eugh, you know how it is. Anywho, I wanted to thank you all so much for all the comments that you have been leaving me! I appreciate them so much. I'm gonna try and reply to more of them! 
> 
> I don't know what you guys think about me doing a little bit from Dean's POV, but I really wanted to write it, so I was like 'what the hell' and just did. Tell me what you think and whether you want anymore. I doubt I'll do his point of view often, because I like writing as Cas, but if you guys liked it, I'm sure I can slip it in every now and then. 
> 
> Thanks for all your amazing support!


	12. Chapter 12

_"You made out with Dean Winchester?!"_

"Shush, Charlie, you're as bad as Balth!" Cas snapped anxiously, glancing around the cafeteria expecting to see every eye wide and on him. Luckily, the students were all in their normal positions not giving a damn about Castiel and his problems. "I don't want the whole school knowing."

Charlie leant forward on her elbow, over her sandwich, and shook her head. "You smooth mother," she breathed, eyes wide. "How the hell did you get to make out with the hottest guy in school. Witchcraft? Did you make a Dean Winchester voodoo doll? Oh my God, what was it like? Where was it? Was he good?"

"Oh, he was good," Balth cut in, smirking at his cousin as he leant back in his chair, clearly enjoying himself. "Saw it my self. Didn't know you had that kind of kinkiness in you, Cassie."

"Kinkiness? Cas, what happened?"

Cas sighed. This is not how he had wanted this whole conversation to go. What he had really wanted was for his best friend to solve his whole predicament and tell him how the hell he could fix this whole mess. All day he had felt the searing of someone's eyes on the back of his head and he was sure that if he had turned around at some point to seek the threat out he would have seen green. Of course, he was too much of a coward to talk to Dean, he had just quickly and quietly shuffled away with the excuse of being late for his class or needing to go to the bathroom. He needed to pull himself together.

"Nothing like that," he groaned, shooting Balthazar a look of annoyance. "We just kissed for a bit, is all." Charlie threw him a disappointed look. "The main problem is that I ran away after and now I'm fairly certain Dean has been planning my murder for the entire day. I feel like his eyes are gonna decapitate me if I don't do something about it soon."

Balthazar crossed his arms with a sigh, rolling his eyes. "You need to go up to him and declare your love," he said, waving a hand in an exasperated manner. "Get it over and done with now so that we don't have to hear you whine for the rest of the day. Its making me quite stressed and, next thing you know, I'll be getting wrinkles."

"I'm not in love with Dean Winchester," Cas snapped.

Charlie smirked. "Really? Because you've been pining like a love struck teenage girl for days now."

"Have not", he replied weakly.

" _'Have not'_? Really, Cas, this is getting ridiculous now. Even you know that you have a thing for the boy, even if your using all your effort to prove otherwise. Its stupid. Just go up to him and talk it out. If not, you're gonna be a nervous wreck for god knows how long and we're the ones who are gonna have to put up with your bullshit." Charlie let out a breath and blinked like she had surprised herself by the outbreak.

She was right, of course. He knew she was right. He knew he was being a whiney pain in the ass, but he didn't know if he could work up the courage to talk to Dean about what was happening between them when he wasn't even sure of the answer himself.

"Okay," he sighed, pushing himself out of his seat. "I'll talk to him, but I'm gonna do it now before I change my mind."

* * *

By the time Castiel found Dean, he was already considering going back on his words. He didn't really need to talk to Dean, did he? Dean would come to him if he wanted to speak to him, so this was totally pointless, right? Dean probably doesn't even want to talk to him.

He knew he was being a total coward, but communication was never something he excelled at and, for some reason, the idea of talking to Dean made him more nervous that his normal socially awkward conversations. Dean got under his skin in a way that no one else ever had, and he figured that was probably the reason he needed to talk to him, but it was also the main reason that when he found him, surrounded by other people, he really wanted to turn and run away in the other direction.

It was a warm day, so Dean and his friends seemed to have decided to occupy a bench out in the glistening sun. They were talking about something that had them all laughing and Cas couldn't help but take a minute to stand back and watch Dean: the way the rays hit his face, making his eyes impossibly greener, shining through the gaps in his hair, causing the tips to look almost a light blond.

Cas breathed.

He really needed to get his shit together.

He hadn't expected so many other people to be there. He should have known, Dean was pretty popular, but he had never even talked to him while other people had been around. Did they even know who he was? He doubted it. So, what would they think when the seemingly nerdy boy strolled over to them and asked to talk to their leader? They'd probably glare at him and laugh. Would he embarrass Dean? He was sure that the other boy wouldn't have told his friends what had happened between them. He probably wouldn't want the other popular kids to know that he had lowered himself to Castiel's level.

God, he was mentally rambling again.

He inhaled and set his shoulders. With a march that looked a lot more determined than Cas actually felt, he headed over to their table.

The first thing he noticed was the glare a pretty, brown-haired girl gave him as he neared closer. Lisa, Cas thought her name was, head cheerleader. She watched him like he had personally done her an injustice or something, but Cas was sure that he had never talked to her before. Just her look had Cas getting ready to turn and leave before anyone else glared at him the same way.

However, it was then that Benny caught his eye and a smirk formed on his face. Not a mean smirk, but one full of mischievous humour. It made Cas uncomfortable.

"Dean," Benny said, jabbing his head in Cas' direction, looking satisfied with himself. "Your blue-eyed boy is here."

Feeling his cheeks flame at Benny's name for him, Cas glanced at his shoes nervously. He could feel the eyes of all of the others on him now. He had never been noticed by so many cheerleaders and jocks before in his whole life. It was very unnerving.

"Hey, Cas," he heard Dean say. He whipped his head up in surprise because, firstly, Dean's voice sounded slightly nervous and, secondly, his friends were looking between them knowingly. They seemed to actually know who he was. "You here to talk to me?"

Pulling his eyes away from the faces of the other people, he focused on Dean and forced himself not to mumble. "Yes," was all he could force out of his mouth under the eye's of so many other people.

"Okay, cool," Dean pulled his bag over his shoulder and stepped out from the bench seat. He rolled his eyes when his friend, Crowley wiggled his eyebrows at him. With a sigh of relief, Cas turned away from the stares of the others, focusing on the school in front of him.

Him and Dean headed silently to another bench out of sight from his friends and into a fairly secluded area. Cas sat down nervously, tensing slightly when Dean took a seat very close to him, and watched the birds that sat in a group on the school's roof. One of them was standing on the edge, watching over the field as though he was the a soldier looking out over no-man's-land. 

"It must be easy to be a bird," he said suddenly, wondering what the hell he was talking about in order to stall whatever they were about to talk about. "You just have to fly around and steal food from whatever Human comes strolling along."

Dean chuckled and Cas turned to see that he was watching him with a bemused look on his face. "You're so strange, Cas," he said without malice, like it was a fact, and Cas supposed it was. "Sometimes I see you staring off at something so normal with a look on your face, like you think it's the most wonderful thing in the world." Cas bit his lip nervously as Dean locked eyes with him. "I wish I could see inside your head and know what you were thinking."

Shaking his head, Cas sighed. "I doubt you'd find it that interesting," he stated, eyes resting on Dean's face. "I'm not a particularly interesting person."

"You're kidding, right?" Dean asked, watching Cas like he was crazy. " You're the most interesting person that I know." He lowered his voice, eyes doing a quick sweep of the school, checking for eavesdropping ears. "You're an angel for god's sake. How can you get more interesting than that?"

Cas shrugged. "Being an angel doesn't make you interesting," he pointed out, clasping his hands in his lap. "You should see my mother."

A look of determination set on Dean's face, he shuffled closer to Cas, so that their shoulder's pressed together and Cas could smell that scent again. His mind flashed back to the night before and he cleared his throat apprehensively. At the noise, Dean shifted in his seat, so that his body faced Cas'.

"It's not just that that makes you interesting, Cas. In fact, there's a lotta stuff that's interesting about you. Like how you're so smart but you never brag about it. Like how you always tilt your head to the side when your confused and how you have eyes that are a shade of blue that I just can't find a name for. Or how, whatever I do, you always seem to hate me, while I like you more than I've ever liked anyone else. And how that scares the crap out of me."

Castiel watched him with his mouth slightly open. He had never thought that anyone, especially Dean Winchester, paid attention to him so much. He had always thought that the other boy talked to him in a mocking way, but now Dean was speaking with complete sincerity and a twinge of sadness, like he thought what he was saying was pointless.

"Dean-" 

"Then there's the way I wanted to rip off the head of that pompous British prick that you came in with this morning when he had his arm around you," Dean dropped his head to the ground and Cas noticed that his knuckles had turned white where he was clutching them together in seeming anger.

Cas thought back in confusion to that morning. He didn't understand. He had come into school with Balth, hadn't he? But, then he thought of the mischievous glint in Balthazar's eye when he had noticed Dean watching them and the way he had randomly dropped a kiss on Cas' head. Or, not so randomly as it apparently turned out. Silently, Cas decided that Balth was definitely going to be smite once they got home, but he was also in too much shock at Dean's words. The emotions he was explaining sounded like jealously, which lead to the illusion that he actually _liked_ Cas; that this wasn't just some kind of chase that he had been going on to obtain the one person in the school that said no to him, like Cas had suspected.

"Dean," Cas said shyly. "That idiot that I came in this morning is my cousin, Balthazar," he watched as Dean glanced up at him, eyes wide. "He, apparently, was being a complete assbutt and thought it would be a good idea to mess with you. He always was a tricky one," Cas said more to himself than Dean. He continued to mumble, completely missing the large smile that was growing rapidly on Dean's face. " And, he was the one that told me to talk to you, knowing that he had made you angry. He probably thought it was very funny-"

"Cas."

Cas glanced back at Dean, noticing that he watching him with a humoured smile on his face, eyes glinting. He was leaning very close and Cas wondered momentarily how he hadn't felt the warm breath that was fanning out across his face while he was so far in his own thoughts.

"Yes?" He asked, tentatively licking his lips as he watched Dean's eyes flicker down to his them.

"What you're saying between those mumbles is that the a-hole you came in with is your relative?" Dean asked, leaning closer. Cas couldn't help but glance down at his lips too.

"Yes."

"So, if I did _this_ he wouldn't be able to do anything about it?" He breathed, reaching his hand up to cup Castiel's cheek.

Leaning in to his touch, Cas shook his head. "No."

Dean's eyes searched his face, eyes flickering from his hair to his eyes to his lips. "And, if I kissed you, there would be no objections made?" He brushed his thumb over Cas' bottom lip.

In answer, Cas leant forward and closed the space between them. His lips met Dean's soft ones and he wondered if kissing Dean would feel this good if he did it again and again. He'd have thought that after the first time, the light-headed effect would have worn off, but he was quite wrong. In fact, as Dean pulled him in closer, lips moving over his, Cas could feel his whole body tingling where they touched, so he wrapped his arms around Dean's waist and sighed. When he bit Dean's bottom lip, Dean groaned and opened his mouth with a smile.

In fact, they were both so caught up in each other that they missed the sound of the bell and were only made aware of it when they heard the sound of a wolf whistle coming from their left. Pulling away slightly, Cas blushed deeply when he saw his older brother Gabe drop a wink in his direction as he walked off laughing with his friend's in tow.

"Wow," Dean breathed, resting his head against Cas' like he had before.

Cas blushed even more and dropped his eyes when he saw Dean smile at the sight of it. "Yeah."

"You're not gonna run away this time, are you?" He asked, a light hearted tone adding to the question Cas thought was probably genuine to lower the seriousness of the moment.

"No", Cas said quietly. "Sorry about that," he added awkwardly.

Dean leant back and stood up from the bench and for a minute Cas thought Dean was going to run away just to return the favour. "No problem," he said with a smile and, to Cas' surprise, offered him a hand, which he pulled Cas up with. "Just promise you won't run away again."

Cas laughed. "I promise."

"Awesome."

They headed back to the school, probably late for their next lesson, but Cas found he didn't mind much. Dean Winchester holding your hand the whole way back seems to do that to a person.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeey. I cant really be bothered to write a long comment today, so I'll just thank you all for your awesome comments and support. I'm so grateful.   
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

Castiel needed to study. He had big exams coming up soon and the book in front of him seemed to be made up of all the knowledge in the world that he did not know. Really, he was totally unprepared. He was not to blame, of course. Normally, Cas would have started to study weeks before; weekends of house arrest surrounded by notes and books propped up on his bed, scribbling away on a piece of paper as his neurons whizzed around in his brain, forming pathways while he watched YouTube video after YouTube video on the circulatory system.

He needed to pass these exams with flying colours or his mother would kill him. Michael, of course, had gotten perfect grades in every paper he ever took and was now the pride of the family business. Then there was Lucifer who, despite any pretences he put up, did almost as well as his older brother. Gabe, well, Gabe does as well as his mother expects, but the pressure on Cas was wing-breaking. Everyone expected him to be the next Michael and he had no plans to let them down.

Michael, however, never had a Winchester there who seemed to be making it his prime goal in life to distract him during any and all study session that Cas put himself through. At first, Dean had said that he would tag along with Cas to the library, but by their second meeting it had become evident to Cas that there was no way that he could focus with Dean looking at him across the table like _that._ So, by that time Cas started to sneak out to the library after school in an attempt to actually get some work done, but of course, Dean had found out and had taken it to heart.

From that point, Cas just gave up.

Now, they both sat in Castiel's bedroom, backs leant against the foot of his bed, books spread around them in a circle from where they sat on the floor. Dean twirled a pen around his fingers in a way that Cas found so entrancing that he had to do all he could to keep his eyes focused on what he was reading.

"Dean," he said, calmly.

The boy next to him smirked, leaning closer to him so that their shoulder's rubbed together. "Yeah?"

Closing his eyes in an attempt to ignore the breathiness of his reply, Cas replied, "Please stop fidgeting. You know I have to learn this and so, technically, do you."

Letting out a small chuckle, Dean rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'll stop. Go ahead and read you're boring book, you nerd." He then dropped his eyes to the book in front of him that Cas had given him in hopes of keeping him distracted, like a mother would with her child.

Cas nodded, satisfied, and pulled his book closer to his face, pulling his knees up with him to get into a more comfortable position. He was just in the mist of noting down a fact about the left ventricle in the heart when he felt a pair of lips press to his neck, sucking gently on the pulse point, making him jump. Staring determinedly at the words on his page, he continued to read just to prove a point. Dean was a lot more clingly than people would think from a glance and Cas, though he wasn't always complaining, thought that his boyfriend really needed to learn when the appropriate time was to be irritatingly adorable.

The kiss moved from his neck to his collar bone and then his arm and, by this point, Cas had read the same line five times and he still had absolutely no idea what the hell it was about. He thought it had mentioned the heart at some point but that was no help whatsoever as that was what the whole book resided around.

"Dean."

A reply that sounded like, "hmm" came from his cheek, where Dean was pressing kissing causing his skin to grow warm.

Cas turned to him, so that Dean had no choice but to move back slightly. Cas was fairly annoyed that his boyfriend had a triumphant smile lighting up his face at having successfully distracted Cas from his reading. Watching the lazy smile, Cas sighed. "Are you trying to make me fail?" He asked, eyes moving back to Dean's.

Dean smirked. " _Never,_ " he said, sounding completely appalled that Cas had even suggested it. "I just thought that if you insisted we spend all our time surrounded by these boring ass books, even though we both know you're gonna pass with flying colours, by the way, that I would do something to at least entertain myself."

Forcing a angry glare onto face, Cas said, "I hate you." But, he completely went against his own words by leaning forwards and kissing Dean, frown falling off of his face as Dean smiled against his lips and pulled his in closer. The fact was, Cas knew he wouldn't get a lot of studying done in the first place or he would have never invited Dean over.

He was just stubborn.

* * *

_Two Weeks Ago_

Glancing tentatively down the school corridor, Cas kept his head down, eyes fixed on the hand that was holding his tightly, pulling him gently through the building. He was doing his best to put a mental pause on the moment that had just happened; kissing Dean Winchester outside of the school, for anyone to see, probably scaring the hell out of any passers-by  (but clearly only humouring his older brother, damn him) and maybe even birds flying through the air above their head because not even the wildlife could have expected for Dean to kiss Cas and for Cas to kiss Dean. Every time he thought about it he felt the blood rush to his cheeks and he really didn't want to be blushing, especially with the audience they were pulling.

As they walked towards the cafeteria, students turned their heads in groups to watch as Dean and Cas made their way through the school. Cas could guess what most of them were thinking: _how the heck did that happen?_   He could also sense a few glares coming from random member of the cheerleading squad, but on the whole people seemed to be just as surprised as Cas was on the current situation. He didn't blame them. After the years of hating Dean with a ferocity that should have scared anyone away, the whole school had come to see that relationship as always being a no-go.

And, now, here they both are, walking down the hallway hand-in-hand after having a wild make out session in the middle of field.

_God, what am I doing,_ Cas couldn't help but think, as another dozen pairs of eyes made their was over his face. He was not used to being seen. He was used to being invisible or just that kid that kept turning down the hottest guy in school. But then, making out with that hottest guy was probably asking for attention. _Oh, God._

"Damn, Cassie! You work _fast_!" Balthazar's voice cut through the cafeteria and, despite the mocking of his words, Cas couldn't help but feel relieved that he was back with people that were some form of normal. "I'm jealous. That's totally never worked for me before." He turned to Dean, who was glancing at Cas in confusion, with a large smile tugging at his lips, while Cas pulled his down onto the table with Balth and Charlie. Balth turned to Dean and leant his head on his hand. "What did he do to you?"

Cas watched in apprehension as Dean shrugged. He shot his cousin an annoyed look and shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, letting go of Dean's hand self-consciously. "Shut up, Balth. I just talked to him, right Dean?"

"He just talked to me, you absolute son of a bitch," Dean growled, sudden annoyance in his voice. He leant forward too, in order to match Balth's glare. Cas watched him in confusion and shot a glance at Charlie who was watching like this was the most entertaining thing that had happened to her in ages. Maybe it was; they lead fairly boring lives.

"Whoa," Balth replied, as slight grin growing on his face, voice teasing. "Don't let my mother here you call me that. You'd never make it out alive." He laughed at the tension. "However, I do apologise for my earlier behaviour, involving my lovely cousin here. I just get so bored sometimes and you looked like you'd be _hilarious_ to mess with. I couldn't help myself."

Dean frowned. "Yeah, well, you're a dick, but I'm gonna forgive you because Cas seems to like you, even if it is just cause you're family."

Charlie giggled and nudged Cas in the arm. "Well, isn't he just adorable. Sometimes I wish I did swing for the other team."

Blushing deeply, Cas glared between his cousin and best friend. He loved them, but sometimes he wished he could kill them both.

Before the opportunity arose, the bell rang, signalling the next period. Sighing in relief, Cas jumped up from his seat. "Well, I'll see you guys around." He muttered, but before he could take a gulp of tension free air, Dean grabbed him by the arm and pulled him in for a hug. Cas let out a surprised breath of air, but returned the hug by wrapping his arms around Dean's back, letting the tension drain from his body. He let himself forget about the student's eyes and his cousin's jokes and just be surrounded by Dean.

"Will you come 'round tonight?" Dean muttered into his neck and Cas was surprised to hear a small amount of uncertainty in Dean's voice along with the heat that hit his neck from Dean's breath. He suddenly felt bad for having dropped Dean's hand earlier. It had probably meant almost the same to Dean as Cas running away after their first kiss had.

"Sure," he replied. He could make up for it all. He would have too.

* * *

That evening, Dean sat slouched across his sofa, arm slung over the head rest, legs flung to take up the whole of the three-seater. He did his best to pretend like his foot wasn't jiggling against the leather, causing it to creak, as he nervously fidgeted. There wasn't much he could do, but sit here and watch Dr Sexy until Cas showed up, but it didn't make how many surgeries the Doctor performed or how many lift make out sessions those two nurses had, he couldn't help but be nervous. He switched the TV off in annoyance.

"Calm the hell down, dude," Sam laughed, throwing himself into the single seat, coke can in hand. He immediately rolled is eyes as he noticed what his older brother was watching, but he then turned his attention back to the wreck on the sofa. "He's only coming over. Stop being such a sissy and man up."

Dean laughed shakily. "Stop talking like you have any experience in dating, Sammy. You've never even had a girlfriend."

He watched, eyebrows raised, as his little brother tried to hide behind his ridiculously long hair, cheeks reddening. Sometimes Dean thought about chopping the ends off his hair while his brother slept, but he doubted that his brother would ever forgive him the act. Touching Sammy's hair was considered a sin in their family, or so his brother always said.

"Well, Sammy, I'm shocked." He teased, leaning forward to ruffle his brother's hair. "Whose the lucky girl then?"

Sam flattened his hair in annoyance, shooting Dean a glare. He must have realised that Dean's taunting would be relentless if he didn't fess up because he smiled softly and shrugged. "Her names Jess. She's in my year, but there's nothing going on. She probably doesn't even know that I exist." He glanced at Dean, who felt sorry for his brother, he had been there.

"Why wouldn't she know you exist? You're awesome," Dean asked and was rewarded with a small smile.

"She's a cheerleader and most of the guys at school like her, but she's nice," he glanced down at his feet awkwardly, "I've only talked to her a couple of times in class, but I doubt she really remembers, you know? With all those other guys."

Dean rolled his eyes at his little brother's words. Sam was a great kid. He was going to be right genius when he got older, Dean always told people, a lawyer, just like he wants. Worrying about the money for Sammy's tuition was always a concern for Dean, especially considering that his Dad was a waste of space that they only saw every other month and it was the main reason Dean worked with Bobby, but Sammy would be able to do whatever he wanted when he was older, Dean knew. He just needed a little push from time to time.

"Don't give up on her, Sammy. You never know. I mean, look at me. Look where I am."

Sam chuckled half-heartedly.  "From stalking to dating," he said, smiling at his brother.

"The Winchester motto," Dean laughed back, just as the door bell rang throughout the house. He sprang to his feet, smacking his knees to rub off the sweat.

Sam laughed harder at the sight of his brother so nervous. "I'll be in my room. Just remember not to be a jerk, Dean."

Following his brother into the hallway, Dean nodded. "Got it," he mumbled to himself just before he flung the door wide.

* * *

It wasn't like Cas hadn't been to Dean's house before. In fact, he had experienced the pleasure (notice the sarcasm) twice. But this was different. Dean had personally invited him around and, no matter how much he told himself it wasn't, the logical part of his brain (and Google) was telling him that this was probably a date. Cas had never been on one of those before. The only time he had heard about a real date was from his brother Gabe and he was fairly certain that his older brother was not the best role model for these kinds of things. Therefore, he would just have to wing it. Unfortunatley, he suspected that the fact he actually did have wings would be no help in this matter. They hardly ever were.

Nervously, Cas knocks on the door, three times. God, what if three times was too much. Would that be seen as desperate?

_You knock that many times all the time,_ he thought, taking a step back, _stop over analysing. You're gonna end up in a hospital._

The door flew open with a bang, whacking against the inside wall. Cas watched in surprise as Dean flinched at the impact and cast a guilty look between Castiel and the offending wall. Behind him, a young boy's laugh echoed through the hallway and Cas suspected that Sam, Dean's brother, must have witnessed the assault. Well, this was going great.

"Come in," Dean muttered, shaking his head slightly. "Sorry about that. Stupid door." He stepped back to allow Cas to enter the building, shutting the door as gently as possible behind him.

Cas cast a glance is his direction. "Are you alright?"

Dean's eyes flickered to the ground and then back up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got a bit excited, I guess."

"No," Cas replied, standing awkwardly in the hall. "I was talking to the poor door."

For a moment, Dean stared back in bewilderment, when suddenly a grin broke out on his face. Cas returned it, thanking Heaven above that he had managed to brighten the mood, lighten the tension, he normally wasn't particularly good at that sort of thing. But, luckily, Dean seemed to understand his humour, as he hit Cas on the shoulder lightly and chuckled.

"Ha ha, funny," he said, heading through to the lounge. "I'm sure the doors fine. Thanks for the concern. I bet my furniture really appreciates it." He threw himself down on a three seated sofa and gestured for Cas to take a place on the other end, which he did, shuffling stiffly, not wanting to sit too close or too far away. This over analysing thing was getting out of hand. "So, what do you wanna do? We could watch a movie or something?"

Cas shrugged. "A movie sounds good," he glanced over at the large collection of DVD's next to the TV, all stacked up along a shelf. "What've you got?"

The weight from Dean's side of the sofa lifted as he got up to flick through the films. "Loads of stuff. _Back To The Future, Hunger Games,_ pretty much all the Marvel films, _Star Wars-"_

With an excited shuffle forward on the sofa, Cas interrupted. " _Star Wars_." He said, watching the smile on Dean's smile grow. "But we have to start with _The Empire Strikes Back._ "

Dean rolled his eyes. " _Obviously."_

As the movie rolled on, Cas felt himself begin to relax into the seat, hands resting in his lap, eyes fixed on the screen. Charlie would be proud of him, he thought, watching one of the best series of all times on a first date. _'See, now you've made a good impression,"_ she would say. Not that this is necessarily even a date, he told himself, but when Dean slide his arm over Cas' shoulder the thought was just about as helpful as Luke trying to deny that he had kissed his own sister. Pointless.

So, Cas did the only other thing that he could think of. He leaned in, letting the last drop of tension and worry he had about the night drain from his pores, feeling Dean let out a small surprised breath when he let his head drop against the other boy's side. This was nice; just him, Dean and a multi-million dollar film franchise.

"Cas?" Dean's voice came from behind where Cas was leaning against chest.

Cas spun around slightly in his seat, realising just how close him and Dean were. With them plastered against the other's chest, noses almost touching. Forcing away a blush, Cas asked, "What is it?"

But, rather than answering, Dean leant forward and pressed his lips gently against Castiel's. Cas hummed contently, bringing his arms up to tangle his fingers into Dean's hair, which was surprising silky and soft. The kiss was intoxicatingly slow and hot, Dean's hands moved lower, to wrap around Cas' waist in drawing him in closer, causing Cas to moan quietly against Dean's lips. Licking his way into Dean's mouth, Cas gently nipped his lower lip between his teeth, feeling Dean shudder at the feeling. 

Cas knew that the mood was changing quickly. He was practically lying on top of Dean, whose hands were now making their way under his shirt, tugging at the edges. At the touch of Dean's fingers against Castiel's waistband, Cas pulled back and away as calmly as he could. He knew he was blushing deeply and so was Dean, his hair mussed in all directions.

"Sorry," Dean mumbled, sitting up in his seat and casting Cas a guilty look. "I got a bit carried away."

Chuckling, Cas pushed his glasses up his nose from where they had slipped as he lay over Dean. "That's okay. It's just," he paused, searching for the right words," I don't want this to go too quickly. I don't even know what this is yet. What _we_ are, you know?" He watched Dean anxiously, hoping to God that he hadn't just gone and screwed up whatever was happening between them because, strangely enough, he was beginning to enjoy it, a lot.

Dean shuffled in his seat, hand running over the light brush of stubble on his chin. "What do _you_ want this to be?" 

That was a difficult question. Cas thought it over. He didn't know how to define their relationship. Over a month ago, it would have been easy to answer: Dean was the jerk that he hated and would always hate. A couple of weeks ago, he would have said that Dean was the guy he had to be careful around, the guy who knew his secret, a dangerous secret at that. Now? He didn't know.

He tried to draw together a list. If this was going to be solved anyway at all it would be solved logically, the way Cas solved all his problems. Dean was someone he liked, that he liked in a non-platonic way. Dean was someone that he let hold him, kiss him, touch him and he had liked that too. Dean made him laugh, feel nervous and happy at the same time. He felt both at ease on self-conscious when they were together. In summary, that sounded a hell-of -a-lot like a boyfriend.

"I think, logically, we should try dating," Cas said, face set.

He waited for Dean to pull back or ask him to leave, look of horror on his face, but instead Dean laughed, eyes lighting up in a beautiful green. "Castiel Novak, was that you're way of asking me to be you're boyfriend?"

Surprised, Cas nodded.

"You sure know how to sweep a guy off his feet," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. His voice softened, smile becoming genuine. "But I totally accept."

* * *

_Now_

 

They kissed in Castiel's room for who knows how long, books forgotten.

Cas was pressed against the floor boards, Dean hovering over him as he leant down to press kisses along Cas' neck, then to his eyelid and the tip of his nose. He then leant further down to kiss him on the mouth again. Cas pulled him up, so that they were in a sitting positon, practically perched in Dean's lap. He ran his hand over the bumps of Dean's spine and then through his hair, smiling contently as he felt Dean shudder under his touch.

Almost in revenge, Dean began to push his tongue into Castiel's mouth, nipping his bottom lip and sucking it into his mouth, causing Cas to shudder in return.

His eyes burst wide and he yanked back in shock.

One moment they had been kissing and the next he could feel his wings burst into view, shaking with the rest of his body. He began to blush. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, glancing at the look of what could only be horror that Dean was giving him. "It must have been an adrenaline rush."

Looking at his wings over his shoulder, he concentrated on hiding them. He didn't want to make Dean uncomfortable and he was certain that a hulking black mass of feathers would do exactly that. But, before they could disappear out of sight, Dean leant forward and placed his hand gently on the feathers. Cas watched him in horrified confusion as Dean brushed his hand over his wings.

"Cas," Dean muttered, dragging a hand along the edge of his left wing. "They're awesome."

When he rubbed his thumb over the muscle, Cas shuddered, a shiver creeping up his spine and he felt his wings flap slightly against Dean's hand.

"I never thought they'd be black," Dean murmured, almost to himself. "I thought angel wings were white for purity or whatever."

Cas shook his head in bemusement. He couldn't believe Dean wasn't running in the other direction. That's what he had always been told would happen if he showed a Human his wings. _It was something they didn't understand_ , the other angels had told him, _show no one but you're family and your own people_. But Dean didn't seem to be scared of them. In fact, they seemed to hypnotise him.

"Not all wings," Cas breathed, holding back another shiver. "It depends how you're ranked, so its all down to you're birth. Some angels have white wings though."

Dean shook his head. "They're amazing. How do-"

The door thundered open. Cas did his best to hide his wings in time, but he had been distracted. They vanished but a second too late.

His mother was fuming. She glared at Castiel with a look of horrified betrayal and then at Dean with hatful distrust.

"Castiel Novak, get this Human out of our house. We have some talking to do."

 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone.  
> This is probably a long chapter, but I don't care! I couldn't stop writing, so I just rolled with it. I hope that it doesn't bother any of you and that you like it.   
> Again, I apologise for the wait, sometimes I just find it hard to write something that doesn't make me want to throw my laptop out of the window, so it takes me a while to complete anything.   
> Thank you for all of your support! I love reading all your comments. So, don't hesitate to tell me what you think.   
> You guys are awesome.


	14. Chapter 14

"Please, Dean. You need to go home."

"I can stay, Cas, you know I can stay or- or you could come with me. You- you don't have to stay here."

Castiel watched the desperation on the other boys face. The way his beautiful eyes were wide in horror, the feel of his hands wrapped around Castiel's wrist, holding him like he would never let go. He knew that Dean meant what he said, that he would stay and try to protect Cas from a women that could kill him from a single touch or that he would take Cas with him, away from his mother, but he also knew that he needed to stay. That this was his family and he couldn't just give up on them. So, he leant forward and pulled Dean in for a kiss- ignoring the noise of disgust from his mother- and kissed him like it would be their last which, he realised, it could be.

Before Dean could kiss back, Cas pulled away. "Goodbye, Dean." The look in his eyes must have said enough because without another word Dean left, shoulders slumped, only looking back as the door swung shut.

"Come," his mother said, voice stern, tinged with disappointment, as she turned into the dining room. Cas followed without a question and took a seat at the table, ignoring the stares of his siblings who had been summoned by their mother. They never had whole family meetings like this, from the minute they were all called here they had known that they were in trouble, all of them. Cas couldn't bring himself to care.

"Do you understand what you have done?" His mother asked, her hands folded neatly at her front. The question some how managed to piss Cas off, it was so ridiculous and yet, he could tell from the hateful tone she was using that she thought he was in the wrong, really in the wrong.

"No," Castiel said, surprising both himself and the rest of his family. They never stood up to their mother, the rules of Heaven dictated that they respect their superiors and that was what she was.

"Excuse me?" She asked, her eyes glistening in anger. "But how can you not? How can you not see the shame that you have brought down on this family, Castiel? How could you betray us like this? To show a human what you are, to share Heaven's secrets, you have condemned us all." She gestured to his siblings, like they were evidence of his failing, but they just stared back at him, silent, and he couldn't help but think of not them, but Dean. How Dean would never tell their secret, how he would not do something like that to Cas.

With that thought, Cas stood from his chair. Him and his mother were the same height, but she always made him feel so small. "Dean would not tell. He hasn't yet and he will not now. He is better than you think he is. In fact, all humans are."

He watched patiently as a laugh left her mouth, eyes glistening hatefully. "That's what you think, is it? Don't you see what this human has done to you, Castiel? He's turned you against your own family, against your own people. From the moment you laid eyes on him, you were lost to his lies. You think he cares about you? He is incapable of the honour that we have. Humans think of nothing but their own pitiful needs."

From behind him, Cas felt his Gabriel rise to his feet too, standing side by side with his younger brother. "That's not true, mother!" He yelled. "Humans are kind, they are our friends and they are better than us in so many ways-" Cas grabbed his brothers shoulder to silence him. This was his fight, not his brother's.

"You tell us that we are here to protect humanity, but all you do is think that you are better than them." He argues, watching as his mother's eyes darken at the way her son's stand against her. "Well, we are not. You think that we are so good, but you do not spend the time with humans like I do. They are strong and brave and loyal. Dean would _never_ do anything to hurt any of us. He is better that you are. He is-"

The blow cuts him off immediately, and he feels himself thrown into his chair by the force of it. At first he thinks it was his mother, that his mother had laid a hand on her own son, but once the pain ebbs and he can see again, it is his brother, Lucifer, that stands over him, fist still raised, hands shaking.

" _You will not speak to our mother like that_." He states, each syllable like another punch in the face. "To compare us to any human," he spits face full of disgust, "you have sunk lower than ever before, Castiel. I left you be because I was certain that you would see the light, that you would understand that no human is worth your time. I left you alone to give you a chance to clean up your mess, but now I find you with this human, sharing more of our secrets with him. You _disgust_ me."

The words cut deep, Cas can make no reply. He had expected the hatred from his mother, but he would have never seen it coming from his brother, his brother that tried so hard to live his own life. The worst thing about it was that Cas was sure that the 'mess' Lucifer mentioned wasn't referring to their situation, but Dean himself. So, Lucifer expected him to- to kill Dean?  Cas watched in shocked silence as his mother pushed Lucifer gently out of the way, running a loving hand over his forehead.

"Castiel, don't you see? This boy cannot care for you, cannot love you, it is not within their nature to feel for things that they do not understand."

Cas shook his head weakly, "You're wrong," he mumbled, head throbbing at the movement. "He does care about me." _He may love me,_ Cas almost added, but realised how pathetic the statement would sound. The bond they shared, it was profound, but it was too early for it to be love.

His mother sighed, kneeling in front of Cas with a pitiful look on her face, like he was a child that could not possibly understand the situation. "And you think that you will be able to stay with him when Heaven finds out what he knows, Castiel? You think that you can stand there while they torture your family, when they cut us off because of your betrayal. What about your siblings, you think that Hannah will survive when they take away her grace. You think that Gabriel will stand with you when they make him choose between you or the rest of his family. You think that human will still love you when they burn your wings away?" She stood, looking more powerful than he had ever seen her. "You need to choose, Castiel. Us or him."

Heaven. His family, Torture. Dean.

They would hurt them, his mother was right, if they ever found out what he had done. They would hurt his family and they would hurt Dean. There was no question.

"Cas, she's not-"

"But, she is right, Gabe," Cas turned to his older brother, who was looking at his with sadness in his eyes, a defeated expression on his face. "If I stay with Dean, they will find out and they will hurt you." He looked at all his siblings. "I cant let them hurt you."

"So, don't," Lucifer says blankly. "If you want to keep us safe, you have two options. You need to give the human to Heaven-"

"No! I cant do that!" Cas burst out, the thought horrifying him.

"Or you need to make him forget. Forget everything about you and our secret."

The thought seemed ridiculous. Make Dean forget him? "Why can't I just make him forget the secret?" He asked, his tone desperate.

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Because you think that if you make him forget the secret, but stay with him, that he wont find out again? It would be a pointless loop, Castiel. Do not be stupid."

And, so, that was the only way.

* * *

Dean sat on the end of his bed, hands clasped in front of him, gnawing away at his fingernail. He wondered what they were doing to Cas. Would they hurt him? Would his own family hurt him? Dean didn't know, but the way Cas had kissed him, like his life depended on it, and the way he had said goodbye, told Dean that whatever was happening in that house, it wasn't good.

The minute the door had slammed shut behind him, he had regretted it. He shouldn't have left Cas' side. Who knew what lies they were feeding him, how they may be abusing him. Hurting the boy that he loved. But, when he'd tried to grab the doorknob to get back in, it has seared red, burning away his flesh. He had no doubt that it was Cas' mother, that bitch, who had done it, but he also knew that if one door was like that, every entrance would be.

So, he reluctantly made his way home and had been sitting hunched over in the same position ever since.

The rustle of wings had him jumping up from where he sat. Castiel stood in the middle of his room, wrapped up in an old trench coat. Dean stayed frozen. He felt his insides burn with rage as he looked at the black that surrounded Cas' eye, where someone had clearly hit him, but it was the dead look in Cas' eyes that held Dean in place.

It had been those eyes that had first drawn Dean towards Cas in the first place. It had been the first day of high school and Dean had been leant against his locker, already surrounded by a new group of friends. When he'd seen the boy rushing down the corridor, arms clutching his books. The boy had glanced at him, just quickly, from the corner of his eyes, but it was enough that the blue hit him like a storm. Dean had never seen a colour so beautiful, even behind his nerdy glasses, the colour shone. The boy had hurried off quickly then, without giving Dean another glance, but Dean had followed the dark hair with his eyes and he had made it his business to find out everything that he could about the blue eyed beauty. He had slowly fallen for him ever since.

But now that shine was gone. No matter how much Cas had hated him in the past, his eyes had never looked so lifeless.

"Cas?" He whispered, wincing when his voice cracked halfway through the name. He approached him slowly, bringing his hand up to cup the other boys face gently. He was relieved when the felt Cas lean into the touch and that made him brave enough to go on. "What happened?"

Cas slowly dragged his eyes away from Dean's hand to meet his own eyes. He blinked once. "I'm sorry," he said in that voice that normally made Dean have to hold back a tremble, but now just made him want to wrap the boy up in his arms and protect him from the world.

"For what?" Dean asked, running his thumb over the bruise on Cas' eye. "You've done nothing wrong."

"For what I have to do."

Dean couldn't help himself this time. He pulled Cas towards him and sighed when he felt Cas fall slightly into his arms, relying on Dean to hold him up, arms clinging around his neck. Dean rested his chin onto Cas' head. "What do you have to do, Cas? You're not making any sense."

Castiel's breath hit his neck as the angel pressed his lips there. "I need to make you forget."

Pulling away, Dean looked at Cas in horror. "Make me forget what?"

Cas shuddered at the loss of contact and Dean watched as his lip began to tremble. The sight of his strong and powerful angel looking so broken tearing his heart apart.

"Me."

Castiel's hand went to his forehead, warm and familiar, and everything went dark.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I'm so sorry!  
> I know! I'm a terrible person. I haven't updated in ages and I feel horrible for making you wait and on a cliff hanger to! I'm despicable. But, no, really, I am sorry. Its just that I started college a few weeks ago and its so stressfull. I get so much homework and I constantly feel behind. I'm meant to be studying for a Biology test right now, but I felt so bad and I miss writing, so I left all my notes on the floor an thought, screw it.  
> I hope that you liked this chapter and I promise that I will try harder to find a slot to update more regularly, I just need to get a grip of my schedule now.  
> Thank you for reading!


	15. Chapter 15

When Dean woke up, the first thing that he noticed was that the stinging sensation in his hand was gone.

He shuffled frantically in his covers, pulling them back to see that his hand, which had been charred down to a red blister the night before, was completely healed. Normal pale, smooth skin. He wondered when Cas had healed it. He vaguely remember them talking the night before and then everything going black, but he didn't remember Cas putting him to bed. He wondered where Castiel was now.

That's when it hit him. The force shoving him upright in his bed, hands going to his head in surprise. _Castiel, Castiel, Castiel, Castiel._ He chanted the name in his head like a mantra. He remember him. he remember everything about him: his black sex hair that felt like silk running through his hands while they kissed, the hot, pure touch of Cas' mouth on his own, the eyes that lead him through the darkness of every nightmare and those wings, strong and powerful like their owner. He still remembered him.

But, he remembered their conversation too. The look in Cas' eyes, the way he had fallen into Dean's arms like he was the only thing that could keep him grounded, the sadness in his voice.

_"Make me forget what?"_

_"Me."_

"Sonofabitch," Dean gasped, jumping out of bed, and shoving his legs into jeans. Cas must have undressed him too, but where was he now? Pulling on his shirt, Dean couldn't help but hope that maybe his boyfriend was downstairs right now, making them both breakfast. That he had changed his mind and decided to stay with Dean. He was almost of out the door, when he made to pull it shut behind him, and saw it. A piece of paper. Laying flat on his bedside table. Folded in half, with one word written in that elegant handwriting that was so different to Dean's block letters.

_Dean._

Slowly, Dean edged back into the room. His mind working over time. Maybe it said that Cas had gone on a food run to pick up some milk. Dean never had enough in the fridge and Cas probably wanted some in his tea. Or maybe he was telling Dean that he had gone home to get his things so that he could move in properly, and he would be back through the front door in a couple of minutes, with that adorable smile on his face.

When Dean pulled open the paper, he tried not to let his brain work too hard. This was okay. He was okay. Cas was okay. Everything was okay.

 

_To Dean_

_I'm sorry. I know that I should have left you be. I should never have come into your life in the first place, I've just ruined everything horrifically. I know that I should have made you forget too, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. The idea of you forgetting what we had together was too painful. I know it is selfish of me, but I just wanted to know that there is one person out that there knows who I really am and accepts me._

_If that makes you hate me, then so be it._

_But, now, Dean, I have to ask something of you. I know I don't deserve anything from you and that you don't owe me anything either, but I have to ask you to stay away from me._

_We'll be leaving in a few days, the whole family, you won't ever have to see me again, but the only way that I can keep you safe is if you never mention me to anyone else. Ever. The angels cannot know that you know what we are. Once you've read this letter, you must burn it._

_This is all I can do for you, Dean. I know that you deserve better._

_I am sorry. Truly._

_Love,_

_Castiel_

 

He folded the letter shut carefully.

He stared in front of him, trying to make sense of what Cas had said. That he was leaving. That Dean had to pretend to forget him, to forget the love of his life. That they couldn't see each other again.

That it was all for the best.

"No," he muttered, hand fisting together. Cas couldn't be doing this to him. He couldn't leave him, he just couldn't. They were only just getting to know each other. Cas was only just getting to know him, to like him, to care for him. He couldn't leave and Dean couldn't forget.

He was vaguely aware of the crunching sound coming from his fist and he glanced down to notice the he was crumbling the letter in his palm and he dropped it onto his bed in horror.

"Fuck," he said, trying to smooth it back out, but the lines wouldn't go away and his hands were sweaty. The place were Cas had written _To Dean_ so carefully had smudged and Dean watched the ink slide along the page slightly for a moment and then the flipped.

He kicked he wall, flipped the table over, swore loudly.

_NONONONONONONONO_

He would kill them. That bitch who made Cas think that he had to leave Dean. The angels for making Cas feel like he couldn't trust him. Cas for thinking that Dean was better off without him.

Then he stopped. He wouldn't hurt Cas. That was something that he couldn't do.

"Dean?"

A small voice came from behind him and he turned to see his brother, taking in the mess that Dean had made of his room, eyes wide. Dean took a long breath and tried to blink the wetness out of his eyes. "Hey, Sammy."

Sam came forward carefully, like he was approaching a wild animal, and laid his hand on his older brothers shoulder. "Dean," he said, "you're crying."

"Of course I'm not, Sammy," he said, his voice strained. "Crying's for sissy's."

"Dean, why are you crying?" Sam said, his hand still on his brother's shoulder, voice shaking like he to would cry just because his older brother was. The look on his little brother's face broke him. Dean's legs gave out beneath him and he sunk to he bed, head in his hands. He breathed deeply as he felt his little brothers arms come around him in a rare hug.

"He's gone, Sammy," he breathed. "He's not coming back."

Dean looked up to see his brother watch him with concerned confusion. "Whose gone?"

Dean struggled, forcing the name out like a prayer. "Cas."

Sam's face remained blank, eyebrows going up in confusion.

"Who?"

* * *

He was packing when he heard it. One word being pushed into his head, as though he had thought it himself. Though, the word was not his to think and the voice that carried it was not his to use. It had him on his knees in almost an instant.

 _Cas_.

Dean's voice bounced around his scull and Cas wondered vaguely if he had imagined it himself, if he had conjured up Dean's voice one last time as a type of comfort, but he did not feel comforted. He felt his heart tug at him painfully and he was only made aware of his brother's presence when he heard the door shut behind him.

"Cas," this time it was Gabriel's voice.

Castiel glanced up from where he was crumbled on the floor and saw Gabriel looking at him with a pained expression on his face. "He is praying to you," was all his brother said, but it was enough.

Sometimes, Cas knew, humans could make a true connection with an angel, if their emotions were deep enough and their thoughts were strong enough, it rarely happened. But, somehow Dean's words had reached his mind and the words had simply been his name. He was about to close his eyes, overcome with the pain, when a terrible thought occurred to him. "How did you know?" He asked, frantically. "That he prayed to me? How did you know?" He scrambled to his feet in horror. If Dean had prayed hard enough that Gabe could hear then who else had too?

Gabe sighed. "Don't sweat, little bro. I didn't hear him in my grapefruit, just in real life."

Cas frowned and Gabe shrugged only slightly guiltily. "I had to know what you'd do," he said.

"So you spied on me?" Cas asked neutrally, too tired to be angry.

"Yes," Gabe said bluntly, "but I stuck around longer than you did."

Staring at his brother, Cas made a decision. He was being selfish again, he knew he was, but he couldn't help it. "How is he?"

His brother, shrugged again, pulling a lollypop out of his pocket and beginning to unwrap it. "How do you think he is?" Is all he said.

This time, Cas shrugged. "I don't know. I thought he'd be okay, you know? We weren't exactly together for a long time, only a couple of weeks. He'll be okay," he reassured himself.

Gabriel smiled slightly, taking a seat on Cas' bed and folding up one of his shirts before placing it in the suitcase. "Possibly," Gabe nodded, "But, will you, Cas? Will you be okay?"

That was the question really, wasn't it? Because this wasn't the sort of thing that happened to angels often. It was a well known fact that angels entered relationships for stability, financial support and to increase their Heavenly Ranking, but they did not do it for love. The word was a human term, something that made them weak and vulnerable, susceptible to emotions that they could not control and if there was one thing that angels feared it was lack of control. But, he'd done it. He'd gone and fallen in love. Ironically, it had been with a human.

He did not, could not, know what that meant for an angel. It was not something he was told or taught as a fledgling. Would he be okay? He did not know. But, that was his burden to bear, not his brother's.

"Yes," he said, voice flat. "I'll be okay."

* * *

Balthazar, for all he had been told about the respect one should show their family, no matter how stupid they may be, was finding it very difficult. He had come home, expecting to be yelled at for having spent the night out (look, the sign had said 'Happy House'. How was he to know that it was a different kind of 'happy' to what he was expecting?), but to instead find that he had stumbled into the most boring piece of drama that he had been involved in since that weekend in Spain. Honestly, he didn't understand why his aunt was downstairs, pacing back and forth like a madwomen, with all his cousins packing for some unknown land and Castiel sulking in his room over his Human boy toy. Apparently Cas had gone and wiped the mind of  his boyfriend, and everyone who knew him (which, admittedly, wasn't really that many people).

So, he'd gone and found his least favourite cousin, who unfortunately was normally the best when it came for information collecting, and found him packing too in his room. All suits and ties- how very boring.

"This is ridiculous," he said, unsure of whether he was talking about the price tag on his cousin's cuff links or the current Cas Conundrum. "So what if Cas wants to be with a human, I heard it was a free country."

Michael sent his cousin an annoyed look, carefully folding a hideous, mustard tie (Oh, lord. Did people not care for fashion at all anymore? What has this world become?) and sighed. "You know that Heaven will only see the relationship as a betrayal and you know that it would have terrible consequences for all of us, Balthazar."

"Oh, always the problems, never the positives with you Heavenists," he said, running a hand through his hair. "You have a lot of talk for someone who hasn't actually been up there, don't you?"

Michael laughed, humourless. "Don't act as though you know more about Heaven's laws than me, Balthazar. You know your rank and you know mine."

Balthazar, placed his hands into his pockets, rolling his shoulders. He had the most annoying crick in his neck. It was his fault, he supposed, they had told his not to sleep on that table, but his intoxicated mind had just thought that it looked so comfortable. Apparently not. "Yes, yes," he gave a mock bow and the stood straight, returning to his positon against the frame. "You know all about Heaven, great Archangel, but you also don't know much about our generation, do you? You may know the rules of the book, but I am the one who has travelled the world. I am the one who has seen how we treat Humans."

Pausing, Michael lifted his head from his suitcase and took a seat on his bed, folding his hands in his lap neatly. Always with the formalities. "Okay," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Tell me."

Balthazar nodded. Truly, he didn't care about what his oldest cousin thought about him, or his way of thinking, but he was entangled in Castiel's relationship now, for he had awarded himself the honour of being the person who had set the wheels rolling with his ingenious plan, and he wasn't going to let it crash and burn. Not when he had put his precious effort into it. Plus, he thought, Dean made Cas happy.

"Heaven, as you know, are stubborn bastards- well, they are!- when it comes to the old ways. They don't think that what they say is questionable, so people don't question it. But, you know something else that Heaven is stubborn about? Actually coming down here and _seeing_ what it is that their precious soldiers are doing. They leave us to inform them how the great battle of living with Human's is going and they believe every word we say because they don't think that we have a reason to lie to them."

Balthazar chuckled at the look of confusion on his cousins face. "Well, of course _you_ wouldn't think we have a reason to lie to them, would you dear cousin? Because you fit into their idea of a perfect angel, don't you? Business-like, willing to serve your superiors without question and totally emotionless unless they tell you otherwise. But, not all angels are like that. I mean, they'd sure love us to think they are, and that's what they tell us, but its not the truth. You're brother Cas-and probably Gabe- are perfect examples of exactly _not_ what Heaven wants us to know about. They think for themselves and they _feel_ and Heaven would have us think that means they're broken. But, I have seen whole societies of angels just like them. Angels who have created their own businesses, angels who have had their own homes, angels who have had children and married Humans."

Michael made a sound of protest that Balthazar brushed off with the flick of a hand. "Oh, yes, its _totally outrageous_ ," he droned, mimicking his cousin's expression. "But, the thing is that it isn't. I've never seen families so happy as theirs. With their love, their emotions, their humanity. And, do you want to know the best part? Heaven doesn't care. Heaven doesn't care because as long as the don't have to hear about it, then they don't have to be concerned that others will know about it. As long as there is no possibility that it will not tarnish their perfect reputation, then it does them no harm.

"So, do you know what would happen if Cas was with his human?"

Michael watched him in silent astonishment and, Balthazar was surprised to see, a hint of excitement, maybe even hope. "Nothing."

Balthazar nodded, feeling satisfied with himself. "Absolutely nothing."

* * *

Castiel jumped, pulling himself back into his bedroom as he heard his cousin exit his brother's room. He gently shut the door and dropped down onto his bed, head dropping into his hand, suddenly too heavy for his shoulders to hold alone.

_So, do you know what would happen if Cas was with his human?_

_Absolutely nothing._

Well, it was the harsh truth of it, he supposed. Heaven didn't care about them enough to even hate them, to even bother punishing them. It was a cruel fate for them to live, being constantly scared of angels, who didn't even consider them worth the effort. His family had followed a strict set of rules for years, marry the right people, follow the same business, fear your superiors, and for what? Nothing?

He shook his head slightly. No, Heaven knew what it was that they were doing. Never be seen for what they were, normal angels, always stay hidden and powerful. It was the only way to never be questioned.

_Absolutely nothing._

But, that was a lie too, wasn't it?

Dean would never be able to live a normal life, a human life, if he was with Cas. He would always have to be looking over his shoulder for the wrath of angels who may or may not care enough to harm him. Looking over your shoulder is never a way to live. Humanity is taught to look forward, to the future, to have their best life. Freedom.

And, sure, Cas could go to Dean now and apologise, say that he wasn't thinking straight, that of course they could be together, but where would that leave Dean? Stuck with someone who isn't even part of his race, someone who cannot give him a full life because how was Cas supposed to give Dean his whole self when he would be using so much of it to always be on the look out, waiting for the attack from his people. He could not truly be there for Dean if he was somewhere else, protecting him.

Protecting him. Protecting Humanity. Despite Heaven's flaws, Cas still believed their aim in life. Though most angels protected humanity for their own selfish purposes, a raise in status, an award, Cas would do it for the real reason. He was in love with Humanity and if, for him, Humanity represented just one human who had stolen his heart, the human he could not selfishly have, then Cas would protect his race. He could live with the knowledge that Dean hated him if he was doing something good.

Dean would love others.

And Cas would move on.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look! Its an update from that story no one cares about, from the author that everyone hates with the updating schedule that doesn't even exist. 
> 
> Yeah... I'm sorry about that. I could come up with some excuses, but they would sound something like ' I was rewatching Supernatural and then The Crown came out on Netflix and-', but you would probably roll your eyes and think me an idiot. So, I'll just say that I'm sorry and I'll try to do better next time!
> 
> Sorry for lack of one-on-one Cas/Dean action this chapter, but I had to do a little filler. Anyhow, you'll get more soon.
> 
> Hope you liked it!


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